Rexford man sentenced in assault of step father

A Rexford man charged with assault with a weapon after he allegedly stabbed his step father with a knife during an incident this summer recently was sentenced after pleading guilty to the offense.

Travis C. Plantiko, 42, initially pleaded not guilty to the felony as well as one misdemeanor count of partner or family member assault on Monday, Aug. 1 in Lincoln County District Court.

But on Monday, Oct. 30, Plantiko pleaded guilty to the felony charge with the misdemeanor being dropped after a  joint recommendation between public defender Scott B. Johnson and county Attorney Marcia Boris.

Judge Matt Cuffe gave Plantiko a 5-year suspended sentence and gave him credit for spending 124 days in the county jail. 

Johnson asked that an $800 fine be waived and Cuffe granted it.

Plantiko said he received Social Security payments and that he could pay restitution involving damage in the incident.

The defendant thanked Cuffe and smiled broadly as he left the courtroom.

The case began on the afternoon of July 17 when Plantiko’s step father called 911 and reported the accused was off his medication, throwing things and screaming at a home on Enchanted Way.

When Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Michael Avila responded to the scene, he spoke to the alleged victims. The officer saw blood on the step father’s torn shirt and left forearm. There were two small cuts on the man’s left forearm.

According to court document, the step father said he wanted a restraining order against Plantiko and he wanted him to leave the property. The stepfather said Plantiko was sleeping on the couch when one of their dogs jumped on him. The step father said Plantiko knocked a coffee maker over and broke a fan. The mother said Plantiko was going ballistic about everything.

The step father said Plantiko went outside, but then returned and called the woman a vulgar name.

The step father said Plantiko began slamming the refrigerator door open and shut and he went over to make sure the appliance wasn’t pulled over. He said Plantiko’s anger grew and the defendant grabbed a black steak knife and a silver butter knife from the dish drainer.

The alleged victim said Plantiko went low at him with the knives in an alleged attempt to stab him, but the step father grabbed Plantiko’s arm and the knives fell into the trash.

The step father said Plantiko regularly threatens to kill him and his wife. When asked by the officer about medications, the step father said he “was only off his pain pills.” The step father also said Plantiko had thrown chairs at his wife. He also said Plantiko usually calls him a “punk ass bitch” and a “cop caller.”

The step father said he had tried helping Plantiko get to his doctor appointments, see his psychiatrist and gives him money.

But, according to the probable cause statement, the man now believes he will wake up with a knife in his throat. The man also said Plantiko grabbed his shirt and tore it after he dropped the knives.