WCDA Releases Sentencing Result in Felony Domestic Violence Case

Defendant Charged with 2018 Stabbing Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison

The Washoe County District Attorney’s Office continues to operate during these challenging times and ensure defendants are held accountable. The office recently secured a conviction in a felony domestic battery case and the defendant was sentenced to a 15-year prison term.

Chrystal Marie Mooneyhan, 37 yrs, from California, pled guilty to one count of Domestic Battery with a Deadly Weapon Causing Substantial Bodily Harm. Mooneyhan was sentenced in March to the maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, with parole eligibility beginning after a minimum of 5 years has been served. Mooneyhan was charged with stabbing her boyfriend on June 28, 2018 at an apartment in Reno.

On that date, the Reno Police Department responded to a report of a stabbing that had just occurred. When officers arrived, they located the victim who was bleeding from stab wounds to his face and hands. Further investigation determined that the victim had been lying in bed when Mooneyhan attacked him with a filet knife. During the attack, the victim suffered severe wounds to his face, tongue, throat and sustained deep cuts through tendons in both hands as he attempted to fend off the attack. After stabbing the victim, Mooneyhan locked herself in a bedroom with her two children and the victim went to his neighbors for help. RPD officers were able to place her under arrest without incident and the children were unharmed. The victim was transported to Renown Medical Center and underwent numerous surgeries due to the stabbing.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorneys Wes Duncan and Barrack Potter. At sentencing, Deputy District Attorney Potter argued that the vicious attack, extent of the victim’s injuries, and complete lack of remorse by Mooneyhan warranted a lengthy sentence. Potter remarked at sentencing that “the victim and his family deserved justice and justice in this case should be a 15-year sentence.”