Man Sentenced to Eight Years for Violent Assault on Two Women

Michael Stinchfield ​— ​who police said held two women against their will in his 1724 Garden Street home for hours as he physically assaulted them with a baseball bat and guitar strap ​— ​entered no-contest pleas to four felony charges this week and was sentenced to eight years in state prison. The incident took place in November 2012 as 57-year-old Stinchfield ​— ​once a successful Santa Barbara businessperson before gaining a reputation for violence and intimidation ​— ​was actively renovating a commercial property on lower State Street with plans to open a restaurant.