SMITH COUNTY, Texas — A Whitehouse man has been sentenced to life in prison for threatening Smith County deputies with a gun.
According to the Smith County District Attorney's Office, Michael Fry, 37, was handed his sentence in the 7th Judicial District Court on Thursday. He was also ordered to pay a $10,000 fine for aggravated assault of a peace office.
On March 19, Smith County Sheriff's Office Deputies Marvin Martin and Luis Sandoval were attempting to arrest the Fry at his residence for an outstanding warrant when he began to resist.
The district attorney's office says Fry began resisting on the back porch of the residence and continued resisting through the garage and into the living room. While resisting Deputy Martin, the defendant grabbed a handgun in the living room and screamed, “I’ve got a gun.”
Fry then pointed the gun at Deputy Martin’s stomach. Deputy Martin backed away from the defendant and drew his own weapon. The defendant then pointed the weapon at Deputy Sandoval, at which time Deputy Sandoval also backed away and drew his own weapon.
The DA's office says Fry's brother then intervened and was able to get the gun from his brother. The defendant then ran out of his residence and was apprehended.
"Despite having a weapon pointed on them at close range, neither deputy discharged their firearm, and the situation ended with the defendant sustaining no injuries," the DA's office said.
During the punishment phase of the trial, the jury heard testimony regarding the defendant’s prior misdemeanor convictions and two prior felony DWI’s committed by the defendant. Deputy Martin testified even with all this experience as a Smith County Sheriff’s Office deputy and having spent six years as Army Military Police, he had never felt he was going to die until the moment the defendant pointed the gun at him that day.
