VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (Rocktown Now) — A former Rockingham County resident, who was a part of Winsome Earle-Sears’ gubernatorial campaign last year, was in court Thursday morning to face a misdemeanor assault and battery charge.

According to online records, William Cole Trower pleaded guilty during a hearing in Virginia Beach Circuit Court.

The 34-year-old Trower then received a one-year suspended sentence.

He was arrested in connection with an incident back on February 8th.

Incidentally, Trower was represented by former House of Delegate Tim Anderson, who posted on social media following his arrest that Cole was attacked inside his own home by two men from New York and he acted in self-defense.