A Freeport man has been sentenced to 23 and a half years to life in prison after beating his estranged girlfriend so badly she drifted in and out of consciousness for hours, then later threatened to shoot her when she considered going to police. David Chaplin, 58, was sentenced Thursday following his conviction on kidnapping, assault, weapons and related charges.
A Nassau County jury found Chaplin guilty June 23 of second-degree kidnapping, attempted first-degree assault, second-degree assault, and eight other counts, according to Long Island Press. Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly said Chaplin will spend decades behind bars, and that the victim courageously came forward despite fearing for her life, as reported by Daily Voice.
Violence Began During a Visit With His Daughter
According to the Nassau County District Attorney's Office, the violence began when the woman visited Chaplin and his two-year-old daughter in 2024. Chaplin beat her with his fists and a wooden, bat-like object in front of the child, leaving her with a broken arm and a broken orbital bone, per the same account. The woman was in and out of consciousness for hours after the assault before going to a hospital the next morning, where medical staff alerted police to her injuries.
Despite her injuries, the woman initially did not speak to law enforcement out of fear of retaliation, the outlet's report notes. She stopped seeing Chaplin in the following month but stayed in contact with him because she cared about his daughter.
A Gun Threat Turned Into a Death Threat by Text
That contact led her back to his home on July 4, 2024, when she dropped off items for his daughter. As she returned to her car, Chaplin confronted her, displaying a gun and threatening her if she reported his actions to law enforcement, the article states.
Two days later, Chaplin sent a text threatening to shoot and kill the woman, which finally prompted her to contact authorities. Freeport village police arrested Chaplin that same day after finding him in possession of cocaine. A later search of his home turned up an unloaded, defaced firearm, according to the report.
A Prior Conviction and a Long Sentence
State records indicate Chaplin was previously convicted of attempted second-degree robbery and had been released from state prison in March 2020 after serving at least 16 years. The Nassau County District Attorney's Office said Chaplin received 23 and a half years to life following his latest conviction.
New York has made domestic violence a policy focus in recent years. The state invested $35 million to implement the Statewide Targeted Reductions in Intimate Partner Violence initiative, according to the New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence. Separately, the state's Division of Criminal Justice Services tracks domestic-violence victim counts tied to aggravated assault, simple assault, sex offenses and violations of protective orders, per the New York Division of Criminal Justice Services.
