A 50-year-old Cumberland man, who was originally charged with abduction and kidnapping March 17, was sentenced to 12 months in jail with eight months in jail suspended July 18 after pleading guilty to two charges of assault and battery on a family member.

Barry Piercy

According to Cumberland Circuit Court documents online, one of Barry Herbert Willis Piercy’s assault and battery charges was an amended charge of abduction by force or intimidation.

According to a previous interview with Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office Captain Chief Deputy Dennis Ownby, Piercy was originally arrested March 5 for assault and battery on his wife.

Ownby said the assault took place over a period of time at their residence that evening, where she attempted several times to escape or call for help. He said Piercy broke his wife’s cellphone and took his child’s cellphone to stop her from calling others.

“At one point, he intimidated (his wife) into their vehicle and drove to Farmville,” Ownby said. “They got in front of the Walmart store on Peery (Drive), and he slowed down enough for her to jump out and run into the store.”

Ownby said during the time of the alleged assault, the child was picked up by a family member.

“(His wife) sustained minor injuries,” Ownby said.

According to court documents, Piercy’s charges include two sentences of 12 months in jail with eight months suspended to run concurrently, meaning that an active sentence of four months will serve both sentences.