A Villager charged with displaying a gun during a dispute over a dog has been sentenced as a result of the incident which occurred in the Village of Fenney.
Martin Lewis Levine, 58, had been arrested Nov. 14 after a verbal altercation with another individual whose dog was running loose. During the argument, Levine raised his shirt, displaying a black handgun, according to an arrest report from the Wildwood Police Department. He reportedly used profanity when he threatened to shoot the dog owner in the head. It was witnessed by several people.
Levine’s black semi-automatic Smith & Wesson .380-caliber handgun was seized by police when he was arrested at his home at 5635 Whitetail Ave. on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon – a third-degree felony. The gun had been loaded with six live rounds.
However, the native New Yorker’s lawyer, Kenneth Lyles Foote, successfully negotiated the charge down to a misdemeanor.
Earlier this month, Levine entered a plea of no contest in the case. He has been sentenced to probation for one year and ordered to perform 30 hours of community service.
In a separate case, Levine recently completed traffic school after he was ticketed for speeding in a construction zone, also in Sumter County.
