Porterville Man Released on $0 Bail Gets 56 Months in Prison

Prison bars will finally contain 50-year-old Paul Bella of Porterville.

Paul Bella was sentenced to four years, eight months in state prison. (Facebook/Tulare County DA’s Office)

In April, while out of jail and awaiting sentencing for carrying a stabbing weapon and other charges from last year, he was arrested for possession of a controlled substance and resisting arrest.

After being freed on $0 bail, Bella then threw pliers at his wife in May. The pliers, which embedded in her ankle, had to be removed at a hospital.

Related Story: Real-Time GPS Leads Detectives to Tulare County Pistachio Thief

Bella Pleads Guilty to Multiple Charges

Last month, Bella Bella pleaded guilty to multiple charges in two separate cases: felony corporal injury to a spouse, felony assault with a deadly weapon, misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, and misdemeanor resisting arrest.

Last week, at a hearing at the Porterville South County Justice Center, Bella was sentenced to four years, eight months in state prison.

Deputy District Attorney Avi Feinstein of the Porterville Prosecution Division prosecuted the case. The Porterville Police Department did the investigation.

Related Story: Tulare County Murderer Will Spend at Least 5 More Years in Prison