Austin man sentenced to prison time on felony assault with a dangerous weapon, drug sale charges in Mower County District Court

An Austin man facing six different charges, five of them felonies in Mower County District Court stemming from an incident that took place at a residence in the 700 block of 6th Avenue Northwest in Austin late on the morning of Friday, August 11th where he was taken into custody after being found wearing body armor and in possession of a firearm that he had brandished earlier that day has been sentenced to prison time.  

25-year old Jose Juan Alvarez-Bentzin Jr. was sentenced Wednesday to 36 months in prison for a felony charge of 2nd degree assault with a dangerous weapon.  Bentzin Jr. was given credit for 97 days already served, and he was also sentenced Wednesday to 13 months in prison for a felony charge for committing a crime while wearing or possessing a bulletproof vest.  Bentzin Jr. was again given credit for 97 days already served, and he was convicted on the two charges on October 20th after pleading guilty the same day.  An additional felony charge of 2nd degree assault with a dangerous weapon, a felony charge for receiving and/or possessing a firearm with an altered serial number, and a gross misdemeanor charge for being ineligible to receive, ship or transport weapons in the case against Bentzin Jr. were all dismissed with his guilty pleas.  Bentzin Jr. initially pleaded not guilty to all of the charges against him on August 28th.  

Bentzin Jr. was also sentenced Wednesday to 21 months in prison for a felony charge of 3rd degree drugs, sale of a narcotic stemming from an incident that took place in Austin on March 30th, 2022.  Bentzin Jr. was convicted on the charge on October 20th after pleading guilty the same day, and he was given credit for 107 days already served.  Judge Natalie Martinez determined that Bentzin Jr. will be allowed to serve all three prison terms concurrently.

A gross misdemeanor 5th degree drug possession charge against Bentzin Jr. stemming from an incident that took place in Austin on April 7th of this year was dismissed with his guilty pleas.