LAKE VIEW — A man who police and prosecutors accuse of ambushing a Sac County resident at their home and slashing them with a knife last year has been sentenced to 55 years in prison.

James M. Debourgh, 71, received the sentence Monday, according to a statement from Ben Smith, who is the county attorney for both Calhoun and Sac counties. A criminal complaint filed against Debourgh lists his home as Cheyenne, Wyoming, but Smith described him as homeless and transient.

The attack happened at 11:52 a.m. Sept. 24, 2023, at a home in Lake View. According to the criminal complaint, Debourgh waited in the home’s garage, although he did not have permission to be there. When the resident of the home arrived and opened the garage door, Debourgh came out of the garage with a knife in his hand and said “I’m going to kill you,” police wrote in the criminal complaint. Debourgh approached the vehicle, which the resident was still in. The resident tried to quickly roll the window up, but Debourgh reached in with the knife and slashed the left side of their face, according to criminal complaints.

Debourgh was arrested by Lake View police and charged with first degree burglary, willful injury, and going armed with intent.

District Court Judge Christopher Polking handed down consecutive sentences totalling 55 years in prison and ordered that he serve at least 10 years before being eligible for parole.

Sac County sheriff’s deputies assisted with the investigation. The case was prosecuted by the Sac County Attorney’s Office.