Man who threatened people at Columbia bar with gun sentenced to five years in prison

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A California man who threatened a downtown Columbia bar with a gun in September pleaded guilty to a pair of felonies on Monday.

Gamaliel Martinez, 34, of Fresno, California, pleaded guilty on Monday to first-degree making a terroristic threat and unlawful gun possession. He was sentenced to five years in the Missouri Department of Corrections and was given credit for time served.

Martinez was initially charged with first-degree making a terroristic threat, armed criminal action and illegal use of a weapon, according to previous reporting.  He is currently being held at the Boone County Jail, according to online jail records.

An Eastside Tavern employee denied Martinez entry into the bar on Sept. 2 because he was too drunk, according to court documents. Martinez then began calling the employee names and left the area, documents say.

The employee told police about 20 minutes later that Martinez began walking back toward the bar with a rifle in his hands, the statement says. The employee then locked the door to the bar and told everyone inside to get down.

The statement says Martinez set the rifle on the ground by the bar's front door and walked away. The employee then unlocked the door, secured the gun and called 911, according to court documents.