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Man Accused Of Assaulting Brother After Argument Gets Heated

APPLE VALLEY, Minn. (WCCO) – A 29-year-old Apple Valley man is accused of assaulting and choking his brother after a fight at their apartment Friday got out of hand, according to charges filed Tuesday in Dakota County Court.

Jonathan Anthony Sharpe was charged with one felony count of domestic assault by strangulation and one misdemeanor count of domestic assault in connection with the incident.

According to a criminal complaint, police were called to a residence at about 7:16 p.m. Friday on 150th Street in Apple Valley on a report of an after-the-face domestic assault. When authorities arrived, the victim told police he had been living with his brother, Sharpe, for the past three to four months.

The victim told police the two had an argument at their Apple Valley residence that was only verbal until Sharpe allegedly told him to take a fighting stance in the middle of the living room, according to the complaint.

Sharpe said he is a Golden Gloves boxer and wanted the victim to take a fighting stance. The complaint states the victim remained sitting on the couch, and that's when Sharpe punched him and knocked him off the couch. He allegedly punched the victim several more times until the victim fell to the ground.

According to the complaint, Sharpe told him to get up and continued to punch him as he was standing. Sharpe then allegedly pushed the victim onto the couch and choked him with both hands. The victim could not breathe and his vision was blurred. When Sharpe let go, he then allegedly continued to punch the victim in the face.

Sharpe was arrested and later told police he was in an extremely emotional argument with the victim and both of them were crying. The complaint states Sharpe told police during the argument, the victim came from behind him and started choking him, but it didn't bother him because he thought the victim was just getting out some emotions and not trying to hurt him. He told the victim "that's enough," and it stopped.

A short time later, Sharpe was on his computer and heard the eventual victim going into the kitchen. The complaint states the victim took a swing at Sharpe with a knife, and that's when Sharpe punched him twice in the chest. The victim took one more swing with a knife and was punched in the face. That's when the incident ended.

If convicted, Sharpe faces more than three years in prison and a $6,000 fine.

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