Jason Prudhomme, 31, appeared Monday in Florence County Circuit Court on the felony charges, which carry a penalty of up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

Prudhomme initially was arrested after a woman claimed he assaulted her and a male companion Nov. 28.

According to the criminal complaint, the couple told deputies Prudhomme invited them to his home, then went after them with his girlfriend, 29-year-old Tika Bonetti, when they tried to leave.

At one point, Prudhomme told Bonetti to “get the gun.” He climbed into their vehicle, the couple said, and continued to attack them from the back seat, the complaint states.

TIKA MONTANA

The male told deputies he heard a tap on the driver’s side window and saw Bonetti standing with a green 9 mm pistol pointed at his head before she fired a shot into the air, according to the complaint.

After managing to get Prudhomme out the vehicle, the couple fled. The woman sought treatment at Dickinson County Memorial Hospital.

After Prudhomme was taken into custody without incident, deputies did a warranted search of his residence, finding a 10-gauge double-barreled shotgun, 12-gauge shotgun shells, a partial box of .22-caliber ammunition, four cell phones, a marijuana smoking device and a small amount of methamphetamine, according to the complaint.

A pickup truck in Prudhomme’s driveway also yielded a partial box of Remington 9 mm Luger ammunition in the driver’s side door, but no 9 mm pistol was recovered.

A trailer reported as stolen was in Prudhomme’s driveway as well, carrying another pickup truck. A large pool of blood in the snow and ice of the driveway was photographed for evidence, according to the complaint.

Prudhomme pleaded not guilty Jan. 3 to one count of substantial battery, domestic abuse-infliction of physical pain or injury, a felony punishable by up to 3 1/2 in prison; two counts of false imprisonment, a felony carrying six years; possession of a firearm by a felon, a 10-year penalty; possession of methamphetamine, a felony carrying up to 3 1/2 years in prison; and two counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety as party to a crime, a felony that carries up to 12 1/2 years in prison. He also faces five various misdemeanor charges.

Then on March 26, Prudhomme reportedly tried to mail two letters from his cell containing copies of police reports relating to the charges for which he was jailed. According to testimony from Florence County Deputy Sheriff Teresa Chrisman, Prudhomme intended for information within the reports to be shared through social media.

One report, Chrisman said, showed the names of victims and witnesses and had on it a handwritten note, “Snitches are like cigarettes. Smoke a pack a day.”

But Prudhomme’s defense attorney, Daryl Waters, said the first letter only contained a police report and had no statement attached.

The letter with the note involved a woman who has not been called as a witness in the assault case against him, Waters said.

Bonetti was arrested Nov. 29 after a traffic stop; a search of her vehicle yielded a single unspent 9 mm cartridge, according to the criminal complaint.

During an interview at the Florence County Jail, Bonetti reportedly denied any knowledge of an altercation at Prudhomme’s residence as well as having ever fired or handled a handgun. She claimed she found the bullet in the snow on a trail near Prudhomme’s residence.

Bonetti pleaded not guilty Monday to false imprisonment, use of a dangerous weapon, a felony punishable by up to six years in prison; two felony counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety as party to a crime, a felony that carries up to 12 1/2 years in prison; disorderly conduct, a 90-day misdemeanor; and battery, a misdemeanor punishable by up to nine months in jail.

In a second case, Bonetti faces two counts of bail jumping, a six-year felony.

Oneida County Circuit Court Judge Patrick O’Melia set a June 24 pre-trial conferences for both Prudhomme and Bonetti.

Brian Christensen can be reached at 906-774-2772, ext. 29, or at bchristensen@ironmountaindailynews.com.