CASPER, Wyo. — The man convicted of stabbing another man during a bar fight at the Beacon in November 2023 was sentenced to up to four years in prison on Tuesday. Osvaldo Castillo, 34, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and battery last year after his attorney, Trevor Schenk, obtained a forensic evaluation.

The plea agreement called for a maximum of four years.

“Frankly, it’s a generous cap,” Natrona County Judge Dan Forgey said of the deal before imposing a sentence — 40–48 months — that took full advantage of it.

Mills police responded to the Beacon Club the night of Friday, Nov. 10, 2023, to a report of a fight that had broken out among the patrons. Through subsequent interviews and surveillance footage, investigators learned Castillo had taken out a knife and stabbed a man in the side. Mills Police Department Cpl. Kate Acord told Oil City News on Wednesday that the victim was treated on scene for minor injuries.

Damon J. Laird, the clinical social worker who evaluated Castillo and diagnosed him with PTSD and other conditions, testified at sentencing Tuesday that he had reviewed the tape extensively and described the bar fight as a melee in “a sea of people.”

“He’d never been to a bar in his life before,” Laird said. Court filings indicate that Castillo was convicted in 2008 at the age of 17 of second-degree homicide in New Mexico. He was paroled to live with his cousin in Casper on Oct. 3, 2023 — less than five weeks before the incident.

As part of his parole, he was not supposed to have alcohol, go to bars or possess weapons, according to a presentence filing by the Wyoming Department of Corrections.

Laird said that Castillo appeared out of place and uncomfortable at the bar. In his view of the video, Laird said the eventual victim pushed Castillo, who didn’t respond until another one of his group was pushed to the ground.

“He likely genuinely believed he was in danger at that moment,” Laird said. He said that people getting out of prison and gang culture are often hypervigilant and that modern therapies like EMDR should be more widely used to help them adapt to the outside world

While on scene breaking up the fight, officers were advised that the stabbing suspect had left in a white SUV. That vehicle was stopped shortly thereafter. Three associates of Castillo’s were inside, but not Castillo himself, the report said. A contact found on the phone of one of the associates came back through dispatch as registered to Castillo at an address in north Casper.

In the security footage, Castillo had long, dark hair. When Mills PD Detective Justin Lindberg found him at home, Castillo had shaved the hair off. The hair was found in a trash can in the kitchen. Castillo was also identified by his facial tattoos — at sentencing Tuesday he referred to them as “these stains.”

“I reacted in a shameful way,” Castillo said of the incident.

307 Bail Bonds agent Steve Willadsen spoke at sentencing, saying Castillo had been a model client who checked in almost to excess. Castillo’s wife in New Mexico said he was dedicated to his family, waking up every day at 4 a.m. and working full time in waste management. Castillo had been living on bond in New Mexico, filings indicated.

“I don’t doubt that you’re a good man and have demonstrated your potential,” Judge Forgey said, but added that the mitigating factors were accounted for in the plea agreement’s four-year cap for a charge that can carry a penalty of 10 years in prison.

Castillo will get credit for 49 days served.

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Gallery Credit: Kolby Fedore, Townsquare Media

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