LINCOLN CITY, Ore. — A 32-year-old Lincoln City man was sentenced Friday to more than 25 years in prison for repeatedly assaulting his wife over two years, in a case that included the use of firearms and an attempt to silence the victim through a coerced legal agreement.

Lincoln County Circuit Court Judge Sheryl Bachart imposed a 309-month sentence on Marcus Penza on Oct. 3. The 25 years and 9 months term stems from a series of domestic violence charges, including four counts of unlawful use of a weapon, three counts of second-degree assault, three counts of menacing constituting domestic violence, three counts of fourth-degree assault constituting domestic violence and one count of tampering with a witness.

Penza was convicted Aug. 15 following a three-day trial in which a 12-person Lincoln County jury found him guilty of six separate incidents of domestic assault involving objects, weapons or firearms, as well as the witness tampering charge. Prosecutors, led by District Attorney Jenna Wallace, described the abuse as calculated and escalating.

The case began in November 2024 when the victim arrived at the Lincoln City Police Department with her four young children to report the ongoing violence by Penza, her husband. She expressed fears of future gun violence against herself and others in the community. Officers later seized more than seven firearms from the couple’s residence, including one identified as the weapon Penza used repeatedly in the assaults.

An investigation uncovered that Penza had coerced the victim into signing a nondisclosure agreement designed to prevent her from reporting the abuse. While in Lincoln County Jail, Penza filed a handwritten $2 million civil lawsuit against her, alleging she breached the agreement by disclosing the abuse to law enforcement. Authorities said he used the suit to pressure her into dropping the charges, leading to the witness tampering conviction.

At sentencing, Bachart, who has served 18 years on the bench, described the case as unprecedented in its manipulation. “The pattern of violence and the level of manipulation and control in this case is something I don’t think I’ve seen before,” she said. “I’ve never seen an NDA like the one introduced during this trial. The physical abuse that (she) suffered was calculated, manipulative and these were not isolated incidents, they were a pattern. … There is nothing mitigating about this. If she hadn’t had the courage to walk away from you, it would still be going on.”

The case was investigated by Lincoln City police Detective Jon Humphreys. Wallace’s office praised Humphreys and the department for their thorough work and for providing a safe space for the victim to come forward.

The District Attorney emphasized resources for those facing domestic violence, urging anyone in need to contact local law enforcement or its victim advocates at 541-265-4145 or [email protected].

“Everyone deserves relationships free from domestic violence,” the office said in a statement. “The Lincoln County District Attorney’s Office is dedicated to protecting our community through the vigorous prosecution of domestic violence abusers for the safety of all.”