Former Palm Beach County Sheriff's candidate Richard Sessa pleaded guilty to battery Friday in court.
Sessa was arrested in March, accused of choking and threatening a man after following the victim home from a restaurant. The Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office dropped three of the four charges Sessa faced.
According to court records, Sessa agreed to plea guilty to a lesser charge of battery with credit for one day time served.
Sessa’s attorney said in court Sessa did not want to go through with a trial so he felt the guilty plea was in his best interest. The prosecutor said the victim did not want the case to go forward.
The victim told police Sessa grabbed him around the neck on Feb. 21 and said he would kill him as Sessa pulled what appeared to be a .45 caliber firearm from his waistband, according to the arrest report.
Sessa was arrested by Riviera Beach Police on March 1. He is a former Riviera Beach Police Officer and was defeated by Sheriff Ric Bradshaw in last year’s election.