The UCSB student who attacked Isla Vista’s well-known pastor Jon Hedges last spring was sentenced on Thursday to three years probation after pleading guilty to felony assault and misdemeanor battery. He also must pay nearly $18,000 in restitution and complete 200 hours of community service.
The student, Paul Gusman, 22, is also an Army reservist. One night last May, the Geography major aggressively banged on Hedges’s door after he was out with friends and high on synthetic drugs that were rumored to be like “LSD times 10 plus meth.” Hedges opened the door to find Gusman without his pants. He was not wearing socks or shoes, either, Hedges said, and appeared disassociated, “like he was in a video game.”
Gusman proceeded to punch him in the face, allegedly as many as 30 times. Hedges said he decided not to strike back after glancing at a picture of “Mary with Child” hanging on his wall, even though he said he had “similar training” as Gusman did. (Hedges serves as a chaplain for the Sheriff’s Office.)