From staff reports

A man who hid in a closet of a Marietta woman who had a protection order against him was sentenced to time served in jail Tuesday.

David Decker, 26, no fixed address, was sentenced to 145 days time served and three years of community control for trespassing in the residence of the woman.

On Nov. 28, officers from the Marietta Police Department responded to a call from the resident of 108 Theis Drive, Apt. 6, who said a man whom she had a restraining order against was hiding in a storage area in her apartment. Police found Decker had fled the apartment and arrested him the next day. He was charged by the grand jury in December with second-degree felony burglary and first-degree misdemeanor violating a protection order. In March, Decker pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of trespassing, a fourth-degree felony, and the violation of a protection order.

“We’ve made attempts to make contact with the victim,” said David Silwani, Washington County assistant prosecutor.

Silwani said the state still wasn’t able to get an impact statement from the victim.

Washington County Common Pleas Court Judge Mark Kerenyi sentenced Decker to the 145 days he served after being arrested and placed him on community control for three years. Kerenyi said that with multiple violations of temporary protection orders on Decker’s record, he wouldn’t have any room to stray from the path of redemption.

“If you violate your probation you will go to prison,” he said.

Decker was facing up to 18 months in prison and a $5,000 fine.