KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A Knoxville man who has appeared on the show "90 Day Fiance" was sentenced to 18 years in prison after authorities said he assaulted his fiancé and refused to let her leave the home.
Knox County prosecutors said deputies with the Knox County Sheriff's Office responded to calls about a domestic disturbance on June 9, 2019, in West Knoxville. There they said the victim told them she had been assaulted by Geoffrey Ian Paschel, 44.
They said they noticed a large bruise on her forehead, along with bruises on her back, arms, and inside her lip.
The victim accused Paschel of grabbing her by the neck and slamming her head against the wall several times. She also said she was thrown to the ground and dragged.
She also said Paschel took her cell phone and would not allow her to leave the home. She said she later ran to a neighbor's house after he fell asleep.
According to a Thursday news release, the victim was diagnosed with a concussion.
Paschel was tried last year in Knox County Criminal Court. He was represented by attorney Gregory P. Isaacs.
According to the District Attorney General's Office, Paschel testified that his fiancé's bruises were self-inflicted. Authorities said the jury discredited his testimony and found him guilty. The trial lasted two days in October, according to the District Attorney's Office.
During the sentencing hearing, prosecutors argued that Paschel is a Range-II Offender, which are offenders with past convictions. They cited drug convictions from Blount County and the Eastern District of Texas and said the judge should consider those past convictions when sentencing him.
They also presented proof from the victim and his ex-wife about previous incidents of domestic violence.
They also presented a video from a jail where Paschel asked people to take his children to the victim's house to try and convince her to ask the court for leniency, according to a release from officials.
Paschel was convicted of aggravated kidnapping, domestic assault, and interference with emergency calls. He previously appeared on the fourth season of the reality show, "90 Day Fiancé" in 2020.