Michael Brian Petko, 50, of De Soto has been charged after allegedly assaulting a man with a baseball bat. He also broke windows and other items at a home in the 12600 block of Green Acres Drive east of De Soto, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office reported.
The Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged Petko on July 5 with first-degree burglary, a class B felony; second-degree assault, a class D felony; armed criminal action, an unclassified felony; and second-degree property damage, a class B misdemeanor. He was being held without bond as of Monday, July 8, in Jefferson County Jail in Hillsboro, according to court records.
The burglary charges is punishable by five to 15 years in prison, and the assault charge carries a penalty of up to seven years in prison. Armed criminal action is punishable by three to 15 years in prison, and the property damage charge carries a penalty of up to six months in jail and a possible fine of up to $1,000.
Petko allegedly attacked a man on July 4, which was three days after Petko had been told to leave the property. The alleged victim said he allowed Petko to live in a camper on the property, but Petko did not have access to the home, the case’s probable-cause statement said.
Petko came to the home with a baseball bat and argued with the man who ran to the home’s back porch. Petko followed the man and allegedly broke two windows with the bat, the report said.
The man then went inside the house and believed he locked the door. However, Petko allegedly got into the home and started breaking items with the bat, according to the report.
Petko also allegedly swung the bat the man who blocked the blow with his hands. The man’s hands were bruised and swollen, but he refused medical attention from emergency medical personnel, the Sheriff’s Office reported.
Petko ran away from the home before deputies arrived, but he was located in the area and arrested, the report said.
Court documents show Petko was on probation at the time of the alleged attack.
He had pleaded guilty to second-degree robbery on Dec. 21, 2018, in St. Francois County. He had been sentenced to five years in prison, but the sentence was suspended and he was placed on five years’ probation, court documents show.
Petko also pleaded guilty to receiving stolen property on March 11, 2016, in St. Francois County. He was sentenced to five years in prison, but that sentence was suspended and he was placed on five years’ probation, according to court records.
However, Petko admitted to violating a condition of his probation in March 2017, and he was placed on a new term of probation, according to court documents.