AUBURN — A Lewiston man was sentenced to three years behind bars after pleading guilty to two of seven charges related to a May 2024 alleged knifing and four other charges.

Abdi Yussuf, 31, pleaded guilty to aggravated criminal trespass and criminal mischief and four other counts on Tuesday in return for a sentence of eight years in prison, all but four years and 364 days suspended. Sentences will be served consecutively. Yussuf faces two years of probation at the end of his sentence and was ordered not to have contact with several people.

As part of Yussuf’s plea deal, five of the seven charges related to the knife attack were dismissed: attempted murder, domestic violence aggravated assault, terrorizing, domestic violence assault and violation of a condition of release. The deal was brokered by Assistant District Attorney Andrew Matulis, Yussuf’s attorney, Paul Corey, and approved by Justice Jennifer Archer.

According to the arrest affidavit, Auburn police officers were dispatched to a Myrtle Street residence around 3:23 a.m. on March 8, 2024, for a report of a laceration. The caller, who was the victim, told a dispatcher that her boyfriend, Yussuf, “got mad and was grabbing at her dress” after cutting her with a knife. She said Yussuf was outside the home banging on the door.

When police arrived at the residence, officers observed a deep laceration on her arm, a cut on her hand and that her dress was shredded and had blood on it.

Police later found and arrested Yussuf.

The victim reported that Yussuf had been drinking and “began acting weird and yelling,” so she locked the door preventing him from entering.

After banging on the door, Yussuf gained access to the home through a window. The victim, now on the stairs leading to the second floor, heard Yussuf talking to her from the kitchen. He took a knife from the kitchen and started up the stairs while yelling, police said.

“(The victim) stated that she had turned around and that is when Abdi went to stab her,” the affidavit said. “(She) stated that Abdi would have stabbed her in the back of the head/neck area, but she noticed at the last second, and the knife struck her … arm.”

Yussuf made several stabbing motions as the victim managed to escape and leave the home, she said to police.

Asked why Yussuf was upset, the victim said Yussuf had been in Lewiston earlier in the day and two men had pointed a gun at him. She said Yussuf told her he took the kitchen knife because someone outside wanted to shoot him.

“(The victim) had stated that she had not said anything to Abdi but stated that he switched everything on her,” the affidavit said, “And … Abdi decided to take his anger out on her.”

The victim was taken to the hospital where she revealed that during the confrontation Yussuf prevented her from leaving the house.

She said prior arguments between her and Yussuf were only verbal, but that his drinking was becoming worse, and she was worried something could happen again, the affidavit said.

Yussuf has a criminal history dating back to 2017 that includes domestic violence and criminal threatening, according to court documents.

Those being affected by domestic violence may call the statewide domestic abuse helpline: 1-866-834-HELP, or call Safe Voices of Franklin, Oxford and Androscoggin counties at 1-800-559-2927.