Carlo Parisella: 12 months suspended imprisonment for threatening to shoot man in the face

A Cuballing man and former outlaw gang member who threatened to shoot a man in the face has been sentenced to a suspended imprisonment order. Carlo Parisella, 45, appeared via video link from Albany Regional Prison in Albany Magistrates Court on Thursday to be sentenced for one count of threatening to kill which he pleaded guilty to on March 1. On February 29, Parisella told police he would shoot Fredrick Chapman in the face with a .308 calibre and turn the gun on himself. When he was later arrested in Katanning, Parisella told Narrogin detectives that it was a “bonus” they had not recovered the firearm. An extensive land search, including several line searches, failed to recover the rifle. Parisella had contacted police after an associate of Mr Chapman drove past his home, made rude gestures and shouted “Fred’s not finished with you yet”. Mr Chapman had recently been acquitted on February 20 of grievous bodily harm against Parisella and Parisella was upset that the Director of Public Prosecutions would not retry the case. Parisella’s March 1 bail application was opposed and not granted. His defence lawyer Wendy Stewart said her client had not offended within WA between 2016 and 2023 and had been clean of illicit substances for three and a half months. Ms Stewart also said her client had not directly threatened Mr Chapman and had no intention of carrying out the threats. Parisella was previously convicted of threatening to kill in 2014. Police prosecutor Sgt Matt Hartfield said Parisella vocalised his desire to murder Mr Chapman multiple times. “He decided to take matters into his own hands,” Sgt Hartfield said. Magistrate Erin O’Donnell said Parisella reacted in “one of the worst ways possible”. In a victim impact statement, Mr Chapman said he lived in fear and had the “spectre of mortality” looming over him. A five-year restraining order in favour of Mr Chapman was granted by the court, banning Parisella from possessing a firearm or having a firearm licence. Parisella was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, suspended for 15 months.