Norfolk man pleads guilty to threats, property damage over neighbor’s dog barking

A Norfolk man who slashed a neighbor’s tires and repeatedly threatened him and his dog over the dog’s barking pleaded guilty Wednesday to multiple charges.

Julian Saich, 62, pleaded guilty to felony extortion, violating a protective order and destroying property for a series of events this year.

According to a release from prosecutors, Saich, who lives in the Roland Park area, sent his neighbor a text Feb. 8 in which he threatened to slit the neighbor’s dog’s throat if it didn’t stop barking. He followed that with a photo showing an AK-style rifle, a handgun and a large hunting knife.

When the neighbor went to Saich’s house to try to talk to him, Saich came to the door with the rifle in his hands and a handgun in his waistband, then racked the rifle, the release said. The neighbor called police, and after the officers left, Saich sent the neighbor another text in which he threatened to “bury him” and “split his skull” for calling police.

The neighbor obtained an emergency protective order afterward that barred Saich from any contact with him. A few days later, while the neighbor was away, Saich went to his house and slashed a tire on the neighbor’s vehicle, the release said. The crime was captured by the neighbor’s doorbell video camera. Saich was arrested and spent nine days in jail, the release said.

As part of a plea agreement with prosecutors, Saich received a suspended sentence, and was ordered to spend one day in jail and comply with a two-year protective order that bars him from any further contact with his neighbor.

Jane Harper, jane.harper@pilotonline.com