(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
BRISTOL, Wis. – A 47-year-old Zion, Illinois, man is facing five criminal charges in Kenosha County after allegedly strangling the mother of his child in front of their 5-year-old daughter and later making repeated racial slurs at a Black sheriff’s deputy during his arrest.
(Kenosha County Sheriff)
James R. Sanato was charged July 18 with strangulation and suffocation (domestic abuse), battery (domestic abuse repeater), disorderly conduct (domestic abuse repeater), resisting an officer, and misdemeanor bail jumping. Court Commissioner William Michel II set Sanato’s cash bail at $7,500. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 24.
According to the criminal complaint, Kenosha County deputies responded to a home in the Village of Bristol for a “trouble unknown” call. Sanato allegedly met deputies at the driveway with his daughter and claimed the child’s mother had struck him. Deputies described him as calm and unemotional. The woman, however, appeared distressed and had visible injuries including bruises, a cut lip, and dirt and grass on her clothing.
She later told deputies that Sanato had accused her of cheating, bit her cheek, struck her with an object, and tackled her in the yard. At one point, she said, he pressed his elbow into her throat, restricting her ability to breathe. She said she may have briefly fainted and that Sanato only let go when their daughter came outside and saw the incident unfold.
Sanato allegedly resisted arrest and became verbally aggressive, swearing and pulling away from deputies. During transport, he reportedly shouted profanities and made multiple racial slurs directed at Deputy Endel Williams, who is Black. According to the complaint, Sanato used a racial epithet several times and made statements such as, “I’m going to blow this btch up — I’m a beast,” and “I’m a rich ngga too, and I’m going to serve a bunch of cocaine and bring over bricks.”
At the time of the incident, Sanato was out on bond in a misdemeanor theft case in Juneau County. He also has prior domestic abuse convictions from 2007, qualifying him as a domestic abuse repeater, which enhances potential penalties.
If convicted, Sanato faces multiple years in prison, including up to six years on the felony strangulation charge alone.
31 Responses
This body cam is gonna be a good one to watch!!!!
I mean there was 16 officers out there so I can’t wait to see all 16 movies.. did your mom ever tell you or your dad when you assume something you make an ass out of yourself just keep that in mind when everything starts to unravel!
Bella, your continued commenting on this post and your direct messages to me are going to be detrimental to your brother’s case. You should stop if you care for him.
The mother in this case isn’t allowed to look at this post. She hasn’t for good reasons.
Im A Lake County police officer, a close friend/family more family to the mother, I will be contacting you personally before court due to this situation and previous interactions with the Sanato family in this case also an McHenry county case I have as well.
strongly suggest “Bella”. Should stop .
If you check report . was 6 officers. this is clearly a family member Making his case look worse . Keep it up miss. Bella. 😭
Maybe he should make those statements to his cell mates.
I’m just saying he could say it to his nieces and nephews too because at the end of the day my children are half Italian and guess what half black.. I’m pretty sure whatever My brother has to say he will say it chin up and chest out! Stay tuned the next episode is soon to begin! God damn..
He doesn’t want his children around your children.. he doesn’t want you and your life choices messing his beautiful babies up because there mixed and tris was still sending you pictures of lux … How could you really defend him when he’s beat you up many times. Amber sanato that’s why he never had you around us before this new mother. Im the other child’s auntie..( His SECOND CHILD) . Who he has a life long order of protection. He will never be around her or this other daughter ever again we’re making sure of this. We have contacted the other mother and will be making sure he finally gets what he deserves. Finally
Your children weren’t allowed because of that he also never truly spoke good about you nor anyone only his self
He raped my girlfriend .. stalked my ex as well .. someone should get a hold of me .. I have a alot of dirt on this piece of shit ..
Cocaine is a hell of a drug!!!
Before people rush to judgment, I want to speak up for someone who doesn’t deserve the picture being painted of him. What’s being published doesn’t reflect the full truth. A witness was present and clearly stated that she was the one who attacked him not the other way around. The only thing he did was try to defend himself by holding her back to stop the attack. She had already smashed a bottle over his head because he told her he was done with her a week earlier, and his face was visibly swollen. He never choked anyone.
This isn’t the first time she’s done something like this. It’s the second time she’s made false claims against him and he was found innocent the first time. Sadly, it seems like history is repeating itself.
If he said anything harsh during the arrest, it was out of frustration and hurt especially in the face of clear racial bias from the officers. This man is not a racist. He has close friends and family of all backgrounds and is well known and liked.
What’s happening is not only unfair, it’s damaging to someone who’s trying to protect his child and do the right thing. He didn’t want the mother to leave the state with their child without his consent and now it feels like he’s being punished for standing up for his rights as a father. I just hope the full truth comes out, because that’s what he and their child deserve.
Must be the new girl friend 😂
no, it was his sister
Let’s see this man has had 2 ankle monitors on house arrest for abusing both of his daughters mothers. One in McHenry county which has A LIFE ORDER of protection for her daughter and herself and this mother in lake county now here in Kenosha county…. Go look up this man’s record all disorderly conduct breaking order of protections violating order of protections assault on all women not men it’s always a woman .
Two ankle bracelets at once.
One leg was one county and the other leg was another county at the same time.
This man has three baby mamas and has assaulted them all and also his ex wife ..
Let’s not forget a situation almost identical happened in Lake County Illinois during COVID where there were 3rd party witnesses to the strangulation by the accused to the same ‘baby mother’ in question.
“Damaging to someone who’s trying to protect his child”
What’s damaging is his complete lack of regard to the women he CHOSE to procreate with, then verbally and physically assaults him.
Nice try on the victim blaming? Let’s not forget his baby’s mother was a mere child at the first time of Jimmy’s first conviction of domestic violence in 2007 🙂
You definitely don’t know him do you because he’s not a pussy.. never a man why don’t you stop posting anonymously and I really know how you feel bitch!
I would love to know how she’s trying to protect her child because when I had children, I honestly don’t think putting cocaine up your nose was part of parenting.. have you met my niece because she does not like her mommy, but guess who she loves to death her father the one that takes care of her! I think it’s so funny. Everybody is so judgmental like you guys are with him every day or you’ve been on the straight and narrow your whole lifeor you’ve seen how Katie acts.. and still all these women you’re bringing up are still in love with him, and I’m a witness to that! Literally in love.. it’s crazy to me that you wanna be popular so bad put your name.. and stop writing a documentary about our family.. it’s sad. is it just like you’re 10 minutes of fame Lord have mercy go look in the mirror and make sure you’ve never done anything wrong before you jump on a post talking about all their wrongs. No one sin outweighs another… you do know that right.. I’m just saying I can’t wait for all this to unravel. It’s like a soap opera and my brother is the main character! I promise you this though what you think happened it was nothing like that. Stay tuned but I didn’t have to tell you that did I.
Wow, this just screams quilty.
Pray this women and her child’s safe from his whole family!
I just caught her on Nextdoor trying to scam people out of money saying her oldest daughter is stuck in Birmingham, AL and she has no way to get to her. She obviously knows how to get a car with all the possession of stolen vehicle charges and convictions she has. Well, good luck to your family and it sounds like Amber is in serious need of some HELP! Big time!
Lies
“im rich” as he sits next to his public defender! LMAO
Another dick rider Jesus Christ, you people have nothing better to do! You realize he went to bond court that morning right and he didn’t get to the jail till three so add up the time it took for them to get him booked in I don’t think he had time to call his lawyer or anybody else at that matter! Well, actually, I know that for fact! At this point, you guys just sound like you’re hating on him!
He doesn’t want his children around your children.. he doesn’t want you and your life choices messing his beautiful babies up because there mixed and tris was still sending you pictures of lux … How could you really defend him when he’s beat you up many times. Amber sanato that’s why he never had you around us before this new mother. Im the other child’s auntie..( His SECOND CHILD) . Who he has a life long order of protection. He will never be around her or this other daughter ever again we’re making sure of this. We have contacted the other mother and will be making sure he finally gets what he deserves. Finally
We thought he was truly evil and disgusting. Trulyy disappointed in a man raising daughters. So thankful my niece and sister got away from him for good they are safe from that evil sociopath.
Wow that Mugg shot says it all.
When I first saw this I yelled out “what!” Known him for years but not that deep. Hope the gal is ok and he learns from this. Lucky he didn’t kill her. And he has some major bags under his eyes. Looks rough like he needs to chill and reflect on all this. Just crazy.
Well, first let’s start with the bags they run at our family and I’m not lying. I didn’t get them but my mom, my sister my aunt’s they have those bags! How was he gonna kill her when those were self-inflicted wounds! She was trying to kill her damn self.. yes, I said it she was upset because Lord forbid my brother didn’t wanna be with her so she started to beat on herself… shit I would look rough too after I got wrestled down by 16 officers was he supposed to look amazing like GQ style?