NEBRASKA CITY- Travis Hutchins, 42, of Nebraska City was sentenced Monday to 20 to 30 years in prison after a gun discharged while he was in violation of a protection order at a Nebraska City residence where two women say they were assaulted.

Hutchins turned himself in to authorities after Fourth Avenue resident told police Hutchins followed her from Walmart where she had been shopping and showed up while she was unloading groceries.

County Attorney Jennifer Panko-Rahe says Hutchins went into the house with a loaded pistol, which discharged and jammed.

Prior to sentencing Hutchins said he pulled out the gun only to check if the safety was on.

Hutchins: “When I did that, it went off into the floor. I never pointed it at anybody.”

Public Defender Michael Ziskey offered victim photos and said they do no support claims that Hutchins had struck victims with the malfunctioning gun. Panko-Rahe said one of the victims said she was hit in the back of the head so the facial photos would not show the injury.

Judge Julie Smith said Hutchins was under legal supervision at the time of the crime and brought a weapon to the victim’s house despite a protection order.

She noted his criminal history, including the 2022 conviction where Hutchins was accused of breaking into to a former girlfriend’s house and beating her.

Smith: “I don’t know of any way to keep society safe except to keep you separated from society.”

She said his criminal record includes intimidation with a dangerous weapon in Fremont County in 2007, operating a vehicle to avoid arrest in 2011 and attempted domestic assault in 2015.

Smith: “It appears you’ve had a problem controlling your temper the majority of your life. You are putting other people at risk.”

Panko-Rahe said it was only by luck that the gun discharged into the basement rather than at the two victims.

Hutchins was sentenced to an additional two years for the 2022 domestic assault. He will serve 11 years before he is eligible for parole.