KEY WEST, December 10, 2019 – A Key West man previously given probation for felony battery is headed to prison for repeatedly violating that probation.
Jose Vigil Jr., 35, was sentenced November 27 to 30.975 months by Monroe County Circuit Court Mark Jones. Assistant State Attorney Christine Poist represented the state.
Vigil was originally arrested by Key West police on May 14, 2018, for the battery that was reported April 16 that year on 1st Street. That day, the victim, Vigil’s ex-girlfriend, told police that the night before, she and Vigil were at her apartment when they got into an argument over her car keys. They wrestled a bit and he bit her on the right shoulder until she let go of the keys.
Earlier on April 16, the victim and two other people were driving on 1st Street and passed Vigil, who was standing outside her apartment building. He threw a tire iron at her car, breaking the right rear window and striking one of the passengers, who was also hit in the face by the breaking glass.
After inspecting the car, police went to Vigil’s apartment but he wasn’t home. They called and left a voice message but he didn’t return the call. Two weeks later, the victim reported that Vigil threatened on Facebook to kill her. While she was at the police station reporting that, the father of her child called her and told her Vigil threatened to kill him and their child.
A warrant was issued for Vigil’s arrest on May 1, 2018, and he was arrested two weeks later. On September 20, 2018, Vigil pleaded no contest to felony battery and Judge Jones gave him 42 months of probation.
He violated probation by getting arrested for possessing marijuana, leaving his county of residence without permission of his probation officer and failing to submit to urinalysis for alcohol and controlled substances, including one time he made an “unexpected exit” from the probation office just before testing.
Vigil has previously served time in prison on drug charges, robbery and fleeing and eluding law enforcement officers.