| For Immediate Release Case # 11HF0366 February 28, 2011 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Chief of Staff Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami |
OCSD DEPUTY CONVICTED OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST WIFE AND ATTEMPTING TO OBTAIN FIREARM IN VIOLATION OF PROTECTIVE ORDER
NEWPORT BEACH – An Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) deputy was convicted today of committing domestic violence against his wife and then violating a protective order by attempting to obtain a firearm. Travis Christopher Unholz, 36, Trabuco Canyon, pleaded guilty to one felony count of attempted possession of a firearm in violation of a protective order and one misdemeanor count of domestic battery with corporal injury. He was sentenced to 19 days in jail and three years of formal probation with domestic violence terms including participation in a 52-week batterer’s treatment program. The defendant is also barred from owning or possessing any firearms and a protective order was issued prohibiting him from having any contact with the victim or his two children.
Sometime after 5:00 p.m. on Jan. 30, 2011, Unholz got into an argument with his wife, Jane Doe, and committed domestic violence by pushing her to the floor and causing her to hit her head. The defendant’s two children from a previous relationship were in the home at the time. Jane Doe called a friend, who reported the abuse to OCSD. OCSD investigated this case and deputies arrested the defendant that night. He was booked into the Orange County Jail.
On Jan. 31, 2011, Unholz posted $50,000 bail and was released from custody. A protective order was served on the defendant barring him from having any direct or indirect contact through a non-attorney third party with the victim. The order also barred the defendant from possessing or attempting to acquire any firearms.
On Feb. 2, 2011, Unholz contacted a friend and requested that his friend assist him in acquiring an automatic weapon and survival kit. The friend reported the conversation to OCSD, who arrested Unholz that evening.
Deputy District Attorney Cyril Yu of the Family Protection Unit prosecuted this case.
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