After nearly three years of legal trouble, former child voice actor Peter Robbins, 59, has been sentenced to almost five years in jail for making threats. He had been on probation for a stalking charge since 2013 and was arrested for violating his probation by drinking alcohol, cutting off his GPS bracelet and not attending domestic violence classes, reported 10 News.
One threat was directed at Patrick Brophy, the manager of the mobile home community where Robbins lived, and Brophy's wife. The second threat was towards San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore. Both threats were sent by letter from jail, reported the Associated Press.
Robbins was the first actor to voice Charlie Brown, which he did between the ages of 9 and 13. He retired from acting in 1973, according to USA Today.
In court, Robbins said he has bipolar disorder and suffers from paranoid schizophrenia, reported 10 News.
"This is what happens when you are bipolar. You behave as if you are on drugs," he said, according to USA Today. "I want justice to be served, but I'm mentally ill.... To stick me three years into a state prison is not benefiting the justice system. I feel I'm entitled to at least a second chance."
District Attorney Brenda Daly said the sentence was fair and just. After the Brophys testified, Daly commented that they accurately portrayed the situation that Robbins had caused. "They spoke about everything that he has done, the threats and the drawings, and sort of the continuation of threats and terror that he reigned upon that community and those people of that residential area, a lot of them being elderly people, so they were very frightened," said Daly, according to 10 News.
