Man Sentenced for Kidnapping Daughter, Assaulting Ex-Girlfriend in Lake Forest

A judge sentenced a 29-year-old Garden Grove man to four months and four years in prison for kidnapping his daughter and assaulting his ex-girlfriend and her friend in a Lake Forest incident, City News reported.

In a plea agreement, Daniel Chomina pleaded guilty to one felony count of kidnapping, one felony count of first-degree residential burglary, two misdemeanor counts of assault with a firearm, and misdemeanor possession of a gun by a convicted felon, according to court records.

When dropping his daughter off on July 13, 2009, at the Lake Forest home of his "on-again, off-again" girlfriend, Chomina got angry when he saw that the woman had a boyfriend at the house, Chomina's attorney, Daniel C. Grupenhagen, said.

Prosecutors had said Chomina then pointed a gun at the two people and struck the man's head with the barrel of the gun. Chomina ran from the apartment, and his ex-girlfriend and the other man locked themselves in with the daughter and called police, prosecutors said. He then returned, pounded on the apartment's door and broke in through the window, grabbing his daughter and taking her away in his truck, prosecutors alleged.

The ex-girlfriend called Chomina while she was speaking with police, and he agreed to drop off his daughter at an Anaheim hamburger stand, prosecutors said.

"He didn't go about handling the situation the right way and screwed up by letting his anger get the best of him,'' Grupenhagen said.

Grupenhagen said he didn't believe Chomina had a gun or used one during the incident.

Orange County Deputy District Attorney Heidi Garrel had sought a five-year sentence for Chomina, who could have been convicted to up to 15 years at jury trial, Grupenhagen said. Garrel did not respond to City New Service's request for comment during business hours Monday.

Judge Daniel J. Didier offered the four-year, four-month plea agreement to Chomina, and Chomina pleaded guilty. In 2005, Chomina had been convicted in the sale and transportation of a controlled substance, according to prosecutors.

"It's finally over, and this was the best resolution we could get without going to trial,'' Grupenhagen said. "He would love to get out and hopefully be reunited with his daughter."