S26 Ep4: So Help You God

Summary

Podcast Summary: Something Was Wrong — S26 Ep4: “So Help You God”

Podcast: Something Was Wrong
Host: Tiffany Reiss (Broken Cycle Media)
Original Release: July 2, 2026

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EPISODE OVERVIEW

This episode continues the harrowing account of Marie Kalumna’s experience as a survivor navigating the legal aftermath of being stalked and having her home broken into by her former pastor, Sergio Guardia. The episode traces Marie’s journey through the trial and sentencing, exposing the complexities and frustrations of the legal system, the lasting personal and financial impacts, and the challenges of seeking justice—especially when the perpetrator is a trusted community figure. The story also highlights themes of betrayal, religious abuse, and the enduring strength required to confront not just an individual, but a supportive institution behind them.

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1. Key Story Arc & Timeline

• Recap of Offenses and Arrest
  • Marie recounts Sergio’s repeated break-ins and stalking.
  • Sergio, a well-known pastor, is arrested following two nights of intrusions ([02:03]).
• Justice System Challenges
  • Multiple plea deals are offered, many of them attempting to reduce charges to trespassing ([03:35]).
  • The system’s lack of victim support and its slow pace weigh heavily on Marie.
• Preparations for Trial
  • The trial is repeatedly postponed, exacerbating Marie’s stress and sense of vulnerability ([03:31]).
• The Courtroom Experience
  • Marie details her experience testifying, the demeanor of Sergio and his supporters, and how her own “supporters” failed to provide emotional relief ([13:30], [20:16]).
• Verdict and Sentencing
  • Sergio is found guilty on two counts of felony breaking and entering, and one misdemeanor stalking ([20:03]); sentenced to a total of 11 years with nearly all time suspended—serving only four months ([41:26]).
• Aftermath and Systemic Realities
  • Emotional fallout and public reaction underscore the ongoing cost to survivors ([47:29]).

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2. Major Discussion Points & Insights

A. Frustrations with the Legal Process

• Repeated Delays & Lack of Communication
  • “I was so angry because I hadn’t even slept. I had stayed up all night... It really made me feel like I was just worthless, like they notified me because they legally had to.” —Marie, [03:31]
• Insulting Plea Deals and Financial Toll
  • Plea offers focus on minor restitution (like lock-changing fees), minimizing the true financial and emotional damage ([03:35]).
  • “My income was significantly impacted...the cost of getting more security cameras, purchasing a gun, buying books about safety. I spent a lot of money on, like, DoorDash and stuff, because I couldn't even think straight.” —Marie, [03:31]

B. The Weight of Isolation and Support Systems Failing

• Social and Legal Isolation
  • Marie describes her lack of strong in-person support at trial; her closest friends are out of state, and those who attend are near-strangers ([13:30]).
  • Supporters focus on media attention rather than Marie’s well-being ([20:16]).
• Intimidation in Court
  • “I’m the one with a protective order and there’s no privacy or safety.” —Marie, [13:30]

C. Dynamics of Stalking and Institutional Power

• Minimization of the Danger & Misplaced Sympathy
  • The defense (including Sergio’s wife) tries to reframe the narrative as a "mistake" and emphasize their own suffering ([34:23], [36:08]).
• Impact on Faith and Community
  • “My faith has been strengthened. I cannot enter a church...because of Sergio’s actions. He is a very nice guy and he presents as so godly. Now, I have a very, very difficult time trusting any pastor.” —Marie, [28:52]

D. Trial Experience & Verdict

• Marie’s Determination for Justice
  • “I want it heard by the court, by the judge, or by the jury and let them decide. I really, truly believed he would be found guilty.” —Marie, [03:31]
• Jury Perceptions
  • “Nice is not a character trait. Just because someone’s nice doesn’t mean they’re not a danger.” —Marie, [16:19]
• Trial’s Emotional Toll
  • “It felt confirming. It felt liberating. I felt so validated by the court and by these 12 jurors.” —Marie, [20:16]
• Defense’s Limited Argument
  • “Their only witness was Sergio’s wife, who claimed that she found a message on their family Instagram account years ago from me that I’d sent him, which never happened.” —Marie, [20:16]

E. Sentencing and Aftermath

• Sentencing Details and Reactions
  • The judge goes above sentencing guidelines yet suspends nearly all the time ([41:26]).
  • “I was expecting nothing and then he gets four months, of course I’m going to consider that a win.” —Marie, [47:29]
• Mixed Feelings of Justice
  • “It made me feel heard and yet not really heard at all.” —Marie, [47:29]
• Long-Term Impact
  • “Eight years of prison for me that he put me through and he only gets four months in jail.” —Marie, [47:29]
• Media Attention as Protection
  • Marie describes how going public after the trial made her feel safer: “It made national news. Because now more eyes are on this.” —Marie, [50:43]

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3. Notable Quotes & Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|---------|-------| | [03:31] | Marie | “What made it so much worse was how I was treated and the lack of support I got. Because this was a pastor, I want it heard by the court, by the judge, or by the jury and let them decide.” | | [16:19] | Marie | “Nice is not a character trait. Just because someone’s nice doesn’t mean they’re not a danger.” | | [20:16] | Marie | “It felt confirming. It felt liberating. I felt so validated by the court and by these 12 jurors. He was guilty on all counts.” | | [28:52] | Marie | “My faith has been strengthened. I cannot enter a church...because of Sergio’s actions. He is a very nice guy and he presents as so godly...I now have a very, very difficult time trusting any pastor.” | | [34:23] | Laura (Sergio’s wife) | “I’m not stupid, I’m not an idiot. I will find another option. I have things that I can end this marriage, but I will not ever. Because I know who he is. And he’s a great father and he’s a good man. He made a big mistake, but he’s a good man on his core.” | | [41:26] | Judge Watson | “I do not think the guidelines reflect the seriousness of this offense or the impact that it has had on Ms. Columna and her family...It’s clear that Ms. Columna and her family were the targets of this activity.” | | [47:29] | Marie | “Eight years of prison for me that he put me through and he only gets four months in jail. Another thing that really surprised me was that the judge only reflected on these crimes for like a good 30 seconds maybe. It made me feel heard and yet not really heard at all.” | | [50:43] | Marie | “That is what changed a lot of things. And I’m so thankful that I did that. I believe it’s only made me safer, the fact that it made national news. Because now more eyes are on this.” |

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4. Essential Timestamps & Segment Guide

• Recap and Immediate Aftermath — [02:01]-[03:31]
• Trial Preparation and Plea Deals — [03:35]-[11:34]
• Trial Experience and Testimony — [13:28]-[20:03]
• Verdict and Support System Reflection — [20:16]-[22:54]
• Sentencing Hearing — [23:49]-[44:54]
• Marie’s Post-Sentencing Reaction and Discomfort — [45:06]-[47:29]
• Media Outreach & Safety Through Visibility — [50:43]

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5. Episode Tone & Language

• Marie’s Testimony: Candid, emotionally raw, and often analytical, balancing vulnerability with determination for justice.
• Host (Tiffany Reiss): Compassionate, validating, focused on guiding Marie’s narrative and highlighting survivor advocacy.
• Courtroom: Formal, sometimes cold, with moments of surreal discomfort through victim and perpetrator statements.
• Overarching Tone: Unflinching, sometimes painful, and consistently survivor-centered, exposing the systemic gaps and personal cost of seeking justice.

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6. Final Takeaways

• This is an unflinching look at the difficulties survivors endure in pursuit of justice, especially when the perpetrator is shielded by institutional power.
• Marie endures not just the trauma of the crime, but layers of re-traumatization caused by societal and systemic failures.
• Even when found guilty, the perpetrator’s punishment can feel woefully inadequate compared to the harm inflicted.
• Visibility through media can be a form of safety and validation for survivors, though it comes at its own cost.

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For listeners or those seeking to understand the survivor experience, this episode is a vital exploration of legal, social, and emotional complexities faced by victims of trusted community figures.

Transcript

[Marie Kalumna]

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[Podcast Host (Tiffany Reiss)]

If you love Something Was Wrong and want to help support the show, become a community contributor on Apple Podcasts or purchase a sticker from our sticker shop@broken cyclemedia.com thank you so much. Something Was Wrong is intended for mature audiences and includes topics that may be upsetting this season we'll be discussing friendship, betrayal, religious abuse, stalking, sexual assault and other serious topics, so please listen with care. Some names have been changed for safety or anonymity purposes. The podcast and any linked materials should not be misconstrued as a substitution for legal or medical advice. Sources and resources can be found in the episode Notes. Thank you so much for listening. Last time on Something Was Wrong.

[Laura Elizabeth Guardia]

Oh, what? What's going to happen now?

[Prosecutor]

Well, so he's likely going to be placed under arrest for breaking and entering with intent to commit a misdemeanor and stalking, because this is the second night that it's happened, because that happened last yesterday and tonight. So this is two nights in a row that he's done this.

[Marie Kalumna]

This victim's advocate told me that the pastor would have a bond hearing. It was going to be, I think, on Wednesday. So he was arrested on Saturday. Those days he was in jail, I was able to sleep. I was notified the day after the bond hearing that he was released. When I met with the prosecutor, he explained that Sergio might not be convicted, or probably wouldn't, whatever he said. I was so shocked. The trial was initially scheduled for August,

[Podcast Host (Tiffany Reiss)]

and this would have been August of 2024.

[Marie Kalumna]

Yes, we had waited all these months and finally two weeks before the trial, I contacted the victim's advocate and I'm like, can we schedule to meet with the prosecutor so that I can be Prepared. I had asked the prosecutor a couple of times if Sergio had any witnesses, had any evidence. I really believe that he would use someone as a witness, probably to lie. The victim's advocate had called me the week prior about a plea deal and having it reduced again. And I said no.

[Podcast Host (Tiffany Reiss)]

How many proposed pleas do you think there were before you reached court?

[Marie Kalumna]

I would say maybe six. Eventually, the last call I got about a plea deal was the afternoon before the. The initial date. The victim's advocate had called me again about a plea deal. And I was like, is this for real this time? The plea deal was asking that it be reduced to trespassing and no felonies, and they would compensate me for changing the lock on my door. And that was so insulting, as if that was the only financial loss. That's another thing that surprised me through the legal process and through this situation was how this impacted me financially. My income was significantly impacted, and it wasn't just because I had to take off for court dates. It's the cost of getting more security cameras, purchasing a gun, purchasing a camera for my car, purchasing books that I could read about safety. I spent a lot of money on, like, doordash and stuff, because I couldn't even think straight. The question never left my head, why was he in my house? What was he doing? How many times has he been here? It impacted me, my focus, my energy, my emotions. But what made it so much worse was how I was treated and the lack of support I got. Because this was a pastor, I want it heard by the court, by the judge, or by the jury and let them decide. I really, truly believed he would be found guilty. After the preliminary hearing, Sergio was able to choose whether he wanted a jury trial or bench trial. So either a jury or judge. And so he chose a judge. I had a feeling that it was going to change. Sure enough, the day of the trial that morning, the victim's advocate told me that it was continued to March 2025, because he changed his mind and decided to have a jury that day. I actually went out, talked to my neighbor across the street because she was finally summoned as a witness. She told me that she was notified the night before that the trial had been continued. And I was confused and just wondered why I wasn't notified. I was so angry because I hadn't even slept. I had stayed up all night because my daughter was on a flight to Spain, and I could not sleep without knowing that she landed safely. It really made me feel like I was just worthless, like they notified me because they Legally had to. Maybe it didn't feel good, but nothing about this process felt good. January 2025, two months before the trial. I was at my house. My daughter had taken the car to work. All the lights in my house were off. It looked like I wasn't home because the lights were off and because my car was gone. All of a sudden, the dogs started barking. It was really dark outside. I see as they're barking out the living room window, they're moving their head. So they're definitely watching something or someone and they're barking at them. I had a ring camera that was on my yard. So I pull it up and I see a man coming up the walkway to my front door. And I'm like, what is he doing? He has his phone. He's holding it up to his mouth, not his ear, his mouth. It looks like he's on speakerphone. And he goes up the front steps. But that's where my camera doesn't capture any anything on the stairs. I am inside, right in front of my door, waiting to see if he will knock. It doesn't get super cold in Virginia, but this was one of the coldest years. So I remember thinking like, who's taking a stroll in the neighborhood? There were no cars parked nearby. It just seemed suspicious to me. And I couldn't identify him. It was really dark, but it didn't look like Sergio. I waited there and for two minutes there was nothing. No knock. I didn't see the handle trying to be turned or anything. My doors were locked. Then he starts walking away. By the way, when he was approaching my house, he was looking at the yard, he was looking at the house, he was looking around. It was weird to me. And as he's walking away from my house, he's doing the same thing. So then I look out my window when he leaves and he walks down the sidewalk. I call my neighbor a couple houses down. This neighbor had come to me after he saw the news, like a month after the break ins. And he was like, we're not going to have this in our neighborhood. Here's my number, you call me. So I called him and he was outside real fast. He didn't see where he went, but I know that he crossed over to the other street. I call police. An officer patrols the neighborhood. He uses his light on the top of the cruiser to see if he can see anyone. He stops by my house and he lets me know that he didn't see anyone walking around or anything and wanted to see the video. So I show it to him. And he confirmed it definitely looks like he's looking around for something. His phone kept flashing a light, which made it even harder to even try to identify who he was. The police officer also finds this suspicious. And I told him there was a man that had been stalking me, but it didn't look like him. He explained. Just like other officers have explained to me that it's just challenging to get a stalking charge because of how the law is written. It's like you have to be in fear for your life. Unfortunately, a lot of women don't have that fear until it's too late. I didn't realize the danger my life was in until I saw the video. But I would have never said to police, I'm afraid this man is going to kill me. I didn't know very much about stalking. The trial was continued to March 2025. This is now my daughter's senior year. The break Ins were November 2023, so almost two years. Yeah, March. That's when we're preparing for prom and graduation is approaching and everything. I wish I didn't have something so heavy. On top of all the drama, I called the victim advocate and asked to meet with the prosecutor again to prepare for the trial. Two weeks before the actual trial that took place. I didn't get confirmation or any answer that Sergio had evidence. I think the prosecutor might have told me that his wife is going to testify. And I remember thinking, of course she is. And what is she going to testify of? Whatever he tells her to. One conversation before the trial, the victim's advocate gave me a paper, sent it by email, I think, and it was just like kind of a rundown of questions that the prosecutor would ask. It wasn't detailed at all. It was basic. So I did a lot of the preparation on my own, looking at what types of questions would be asked toward a victim from both the prosecutor and the defense attorney. I knew that the defense would try to maybe attack my credibility. That's common in trials and cases. They did, I believe, ask for another plea deal. There were no other conversations. Just meeting with the prosecutor just a couple weeks before the trial.

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[Podcast Host (Tiffany Reiss)]

Who accompanied you that day?

[Marie Kalumna]

An advocate got a group of supporters together to support me. The group of supporters that I had with me are not women that I knew very well. My closest friends are out of state. The two friends that I had in town didn't come to the trial. They were supportive in other ways, but I think a lot of people, even if they want to support me, people don't feel comfortable being present in a trial of a pastor of Thomas Road. When I first walked in to the building, Sergio's defense lawyer came out of a room that was right by the doors of the court. So clearly they had a room. The court's victim advocate, she said there were no rooms available. I'm the one with a protective order and there's no privacy or safety. We all stood in the lobby, but very close to the room that Sergio walked into. Sergio's wife glared at me and I kept eye contact, even though she looked really, really angry. For some reason, I just felt sadness for her. She's so deceived is what I was thinking. I'm very close to this room, and Sergio has the ability to walk past me, and no one's doing anything about it. So finally I asked one of the police officers, can you please get a room? I have a protective order. And he sounded surprised. He said, I didn't know you had a protective order. You should have told me. And I was like, the victim's advocate should have told you.

[Podcast Host (Tiffany Reiss)]

What do you remember about the moment that you walked into the courtroom?

[Marie Kalumna]

I remember being surprised at how little people there were. I was expecting him to have a lot of supporters. There was his dad and his stepmom and then his friend. I think that was it. And then a few people that were there to support me. And then walking all the way across the room was awkward. Having to walk right in front of Sergio and his lawyer to the witness stand. I wasn't super anxious, but I was nervous. I had to identify him when I was on the stand. That was just one second. I pointed, and that was it. Other than that, I didn't look at him. But it's still a very weird feeling. And it just makes me angry because I've tried so hard to get away from this guy. Even with the court system, legal process, he was still able to have physical proximity to me. I couldn't be in the trial. I couldn't hear the other witnesses testimonies. So I was in a room for hours and would just have to come in the courtroom to testify.

[Podcast Host (Tiffany Reiss)]

What had you hoped the jury would understand from hearing from you on the stand?

[Marie Kalumna]

That they would understand the truth. I was hoping that they would understand the added danger, really, to what he did and the additional danger because of his position as a pastor. I also was hoping that they would understand the psychological harm and coercive control. And I was also hoping that they would understand the impact of him being in my daughter's bedroom. Whenever I talked about the break in, I made sure I included, he was in my daughter's bedroom. It felt like I was on that stand for hours. If I was to guess, I would say maybe 45 minutes. The defense lawyer was so fast, I would barely get an answer out, and he'd challenge my answer. I think the biggest tactic was to show that I was not credible if my answers were different. But I'm telling the truth, so I would just keep telling the truth. At the preliminary hearing, one thing the defense lawyer had asked me is, was he threatening? Did he threaten you when he ran into you out in public, or was he friendly? And I Said, yeah, he was friendly at the trial. He said, well, you said that he was friendly. And I'm like, that's how he presents to people. And so I looked at the jury and I said, nice is not a character trait. Just because someone's nice doesn't mean they're not a danger.

[Podcast Host (Tiffany Reiss)]

And also the act of all the things that he did in combination, this didn't happen in a vacuum. The slow and subtle way he was chipping away at your boundaries to the point where you had to threaten to call the police to get him to leave your house. There's so many things that add to the whole picture, right?

[Marie Kalumna]

They're trying to portray him. He's not a threat, but he has to be friendly, because if he wasn't, I would have seen the danger more clearly during the trial. Sergio's presence there from the time I arrived to the time I left was very Sergio centered. Whenever we had breaks and the court wasn't in session, he would be right near the metal detectors, joking and laughing with the officers. I couldn't go to the bathroom without passing by him. Because of where he positioned himself. He dominated that court building.

[Podcast Host (Tiffany Reiss)]

How many days was the trial?

[Marie Kalumna]

It ended up being two days only because it was maybe 6 o' clock that the jury went back in the room. But before they went back, the judge noted that one of the jurors had to leave the by like 7 or 7:30, something like that, because she had to be somewhere. He told the jurors not to rush, but if they didn't come to a verdict in that hour or hour and a half, that they would come back tomorrow. And that's what happened. The judge decided that we would be at court the next morning, and then the jury would deliberate. By the time I got to the court building, the victim's advocate with the court had already texted me and said they reached a verdict. It was fast. They were deliberating for maybe 30 minutes. We went into the courtroom, and just a couple minutes later, the judge came in and then had the jury come out. I think we were in that courtroom for, like, 20 minutes. They read the verdict. These 12 jurors decide that he was guilty. I had this huge relief rush over me because I'm like, they get it. I always believed he'd be found guilty.

[Podcast Host (Tiffany Reiss)]

Ultimately, that day, he was found guilty of two felony counts of breaking and entering in one misdemeanor count of stalking. What did it feel like walking away from court after the guilty verdict?

[Marie Kalumna]

I was so tired. It felt confirming. It felt liberating I felt so validated by the court and by these 12 jurors. He was guilty on all counts. After the court, that second day, I went out to lunch with some of the people that were there to support me. And then after that, I went home and I slept. I literally just fell in my bed and I slept for a few hours. When I woke up, I checked my phone and the group of supporters, they had their Facebook messenger group chat and there were like a million messages that I had to catch up to. They had been messaging all this time while I was asleep, and not one of them ever asked how I was doing. That's really when it was confirmed to me that this wasn't the support that was helpful for me because all of the messages were about what news to bring it to. They were sharing what news sources they have, as if I should depend on them. It was just really exhausting. After the trial, the women that were there to support me gave me a notebook. They all wrote down the testimonies. You know, just took notes for me. I asked these girls that took notes, what did they say as to why he was in my house? And that's when I learned, like, they never ever gave a reason as to why he was in my house. It was purely an attack on my character. What the defense said about me and their arguments about me didn't really surprise me, but their actual defense surprised me because there literally wasn't a defense. Their only witness was Sergio's wife, who claimed that she found a message on their family Instagram account years ago from me that I'd sent him, which never happened. The one thing that really did surprise me with her testimony, she is describing incidents that never happened that she's saying she's a part of. So one is she confronted me in the church in the children's play area, and then she told me that it's best not to come back. That never happened.

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[Marie Kalumna]

The verdict was March 2025. The sentencing was October, seven months. But it had been scheduled and then continued. The month before the sentencing hearing, I had texted the victim's advocate and I'd sent letters of support. And then I said, I'm going to be reading my victim impact statement at court and I'll provide my victim impact statement. At that time, I didn't send her mine because I didn't want the defense to have my victim impact statement before the sentencing hearing.

[Podcast Host (Tiffany Reiss)]

When it came time for the sentencing, who was with you that day?

[Marie Kalumna]

So the court victim advocate was there, her supervisor, the private advocate and her husband and a couple other women. They met me outside the court and we walked in together. The court was 4, 9. We were there at 8:45. Not a single person was standing outside. No one was going to the bathrooms. No one was waiting in the lobby. As soon as I came into that room, the prosecutor said, so you're going to testify today? And I said, testify to what? I got the summons in the mail, but I was never informed about it. I don't know why I got a summons to testify in court. I said, do you mean read my victim impact statement? And he said, yes. The courtroom was packed. Sergio was sitting at a table in front of the judge's bench with his attorney. Everyone was standing with their backs against the wall, basically shoulder to shoulder. 60, 70 people. And they all looked similar in the way they dressed. And no one was interacting with each other. It was quiet. It was so bizarre. I'm like, what did I just walk into? I think maybe one of the reasons there were so many people is for intimidation. The judge, I'm sitting right next to him and he looks at me and he's looking at me intently. He looks very kind and like he wants to hear from me.

[Judge Watson]

All right, we're here for the sentencing of Mr. Guardia on conviction. Two convictions of breaking and entering, one of stalking.

[Defense Attorney]

Ms. Fna, you the evidence you shall give in this case, nothing but the truth.

[Laura Elizabeth Guardia]

Stalking.

[Defense Attorney]

Good morning, ma'. Am. Can I get you to state your

[Laura Elizabeth Guardia]

full name for me?

[Marie Kalumna (Testifying)]

Marie Kalumna.

[Defense Attorney]

Ms. Kalumna, obviously we're here today for the sentencing, the final part of the case from the jury trial that we had a few months ago. Today, the court's going to make a determination on what the consequences for conviction. This has become an opportunity for me to ask you about how what happened to you with these charges as Becky and your family. So if you could just let Judge Watson know sort of what has been kind of the outcome, sort of the collateral damage for you and your family.

[Marie Kalumna (Testifying)]

I've suffered financially because of loss of work, lost wages for court corporations, court appearances and symptoms. Just mentally. I never feel safe. I can't even explain after he broke into my house, I was so paranoid that there were cameras in my house. I was looking all the time for cameras, especially my daughter's bedroom. It wasn't just him breaking into my house that made me suffer so many consequences. It was knowing that he had been stalking me for so many years. It was knowing that I made drastic decisions like moving, which is so much work and so much money, just to get away so he wouldn't know where I was. For him to be able to continue to stop me and to know where I am, to know where I live, the manipulation, using other people to psychologically harming, to manipulate him, breaking into my home. People have said, I'm glad you're okay and I'm glad it's over. And I'm like, it's not over. And. And sure enough, for the past two years, I've had to continue to suffer continuously even though I didn't see him. He was using a lot of people and that the church's response was also a huge impact. For them to be so dismissive and to turn the narrative in support. I wasn't just up against one person. I was up against an institution, a powerful and influential act, which is incredibly hard.

[Defense Attorney]

Has this experience affected you spirituality at all? Because the backing was the pastor of church ever?

[Marie Kalumna (Testifying)]

It has. I would say my faith has been strengthened. I cannot enter a church. I would love to raise my kids, you know, in church as what I was doing when they were growing up, when they were young. And I can't even enter a church anymore because of Sergio's actions. He is a very nice guy and he presents as so godly.

[Marie Kalumna]

And so now I have a very,

[Marie Kalumna (Testifying)]

very difficult time trusting any pastor, trusting any church that has impacted me and my kids.

[Defense Attorney]

Your daughter was living with Humilis Havil back in the number of 23. How old was she?

[Marie Kalumna (Testifying)]

She was 16 years old.

[Defense Attorney]

Did this event and then going through the trial had an impact on her Absolutely.

[Marie Kalumna (Testifying)]

She had sleepovers all the time. All the time. We had kids at our house. I mean, like many kids at our house, sleeping over. And we were the house that kids always came to, and she never had to sleep over again. We were just wondering if other kids were ever safe in our home. It's devastating to think, because if he entered my daughter's bedroom at 11:30 on a Friday night, I'm thinking, has he entered her bedroom before with other kids there?

[Defense Attorney]

Pearls.

[Marie Kalumna (Testifying)]

It was also her senior year, which is supposed to be a special year, and this just overshadowed it. All the court cases and continuances and just my stress over what was going on.

[Defense Attorney]

She.

[Marie Kalumna (Testifying)]

She has friends that go to the Hispanic church that Sergio was a pastor at. And she would tell me, I think she heard from those friends, they would tell her that they were concerned for Sergio because he was going to be deported, because that was the narrative that the church gave. And of course, she didn't want to tell her friends. They didn't know it was her bedroom. But she had to be in these conversations and hear these things where they are sympathizing. For Sergio, it just impacted her overall safety. I've never seen her scared, and I saw moments of fear in the past two years. And I've always been concerned about her leaving the house or being at work. And now even being at college, I'm still extremely concerned about her safety.

[Defense Attorney]

Have you made any changes to your life? I saw. Because of this embarrassment?

[Marie Kalumna (Testifying)]

Oh, yeah. I barely leave the house. I don't leave the house as much as I used to. I used to go out a lot. One reason is because I don't really trust people anymore because of the people they've been able to use to gather information and to monitor and surveil. Um, I put more cameras at my house for security, more locks changed, where my daughter's bedroom is. And I'm a lot more cautious about where my kids go, who. Who they're with, and we don't go to church anymore, stuff like that.

[Defense Attorney]

Thank you very much.

[Judge Watson]

Thank you, ma'. Am. Mr. Ms. Chavies, you wish to present me evidence?

[Prosecutor]

I do have evidence in the form of some. Some letters that show support that he has for people. Will I have testimony of his wife, Lord, or.

[Judge Watson]

Please raise your right hand. All right, Come on up, please.

[Marie Kalumna (Testifying)]

Yeah.

[Laura Elizabeth Guardia]

My name is Laura Elizabeth Guardian.

[Defense Attorney]

Okay.

[Prosecutor]

You testified a trial, too, right?

[Laura Elizabeth Guardia]

Yes.

[Prosecutor]

All right. This is your husband, Sergio Guardi?

[Laura Elizabeth Guardia]

Yes.

[Prosecutor]

He still your husband?

[Laura Elizabeth Guardia]

Yes.

[Prosecutor]

He is still living on?

[Defense Attorney]

Yes.

[Laura Elizabeth Guardia]

He lives with me, with our three children.

[Prosecutor]

Last couple years. Probable pretty bad to you, I would imagine.

[Laura Elizabeth Guardia]

Horrible.

[Prosecutor]

He's been open with you?

[Laura Elizabeth Guardia]

Yes. All the time.

[Prosecutor]

Told Jared him.

[Laura Elizabeth Guardia]

Yes.

[Prosecutor]

Told you about his relationship? Told you about what he did?

[Laura Elizabeth Guardia]

Yes.

[Prosecutor]

At the time he was arrested, he was obviously a pastor, right?

[Laura Elizabeth Guardia]

Yes, he was working for this organization with churches.

[Prosecutor]

Okay, so when he was arrested, he was fine, right?

[Laura Elizabeth Guardia]

Yes, he was fine from. Yeah, both places.

[Prosecutor]

Can you find another job?

[Laura Elizabeth Guardia]

Yes. After that, he had been doing jobs that he never did before in his life.

[Prosecutor]

What's he doing?

[Laura Elizabeth Guardia]

Yeah, all type of construction work. He had a lot of education, but when you are a felon, you cannot find jobs. So he had to work on anything. He had been working for a company in the past year. Consistently. He was hired by this company and have been providing. He works 80 hours a week. He's the main provider of our house. I work full time too, but he's the main provider.

[Prosecutor]

So Sergio isn't around. It's gonna be hard to make. And of course has your husband go to counseling?

[Laura Elizabeth Guardia]

He had been in counseling individually. We have been counseling together all this time.

[Prosecutor]

Since all this happened, seeing any improvement.

[Laura Elizabeth Guardia]

This have been a nightmare. I not going to minimize what happened at all. We are people of faith and breaking the law is a big deal. I'm from another country. Laws over there function very differently. But I have learned through all these, how important is the laws here, but also how big it is to break the law. So I understand. But I can say that my husband is not the same person I had never, never saw see him so break like he's now. I'm not stupid, I'm not an idiot. I will find another option. I have things that I can end this marriage, but I will not ever. Because I know who he is. And he's a great father and he's a good man. He made a big mistake, but he's a good man on his core. And I see his repentance not through his words, but through the things that he did. Our family providing, just talking openly to our children, to what happened. And I really value that.

[Prosecutor]

All right, so the protective order has been in place since this all happened, right? The instances of him raining?

[Laura Elizabeth Guardia]

No, nothing. He doesn't have any records before. He didn't get closer. Nothing.

[Prosecutor]

There's no weapons in the house? The guns?

[Laura Elizabeth Guardia]

No, there's no guns in my house.

[Prosecutor]

And then the people. There's a lot of family here, right?

[Laura Elizabeth Guardia]

My parents are here, my mother in law, father in law, friends.

[Prosecutor]

So there's people in his life that come around Everyone support him.

[Laura Elizabeth Guardia]

Yes, love him, support him. Understand what happened, understand the big mistake, but know who he is.

[Judge Watson]

Thank you, man. You missed that day. Mr. Childish, you wish to be heard?

[Defense Attorney]

There are two aspects in this case that are crime conserved for sentencing in this matter. One is what exactly the motive, what exactly the reason for the stalking, raping, that no doubt. And the second is this is kind of a culmination of a pattern of conduct that it predated in November. Breaking and narrating that wouldn't stop. The victim in this case isn't an ex. Mike isn't somebody who had some sort of romantic entanglement for years. She's not someone famous, that person, like obsessed with. I don't know why he zeroed in on her, but he did. But not knowing the why is a cause of concern considering future conduct, future behavior. And the second issue was as this conduct was escalated, she comes home to town, out. He's in her home on her computer. She tells him to leave. If that's not a moment to stop and think, I'm very lucky I'm not talking to a police officer right now. That then made it stop. I don't know. It's not the one time decision. Despite that encounter, he was insulated and protected because of his reputation and employment. When someone is insulated because of their position of trust, when someone is given that kind of responsibility and then uses it as a shield and sword, the need for a significant sentence in the case becomes greater. Because his conduct reaches just beyond this Kumo and her family. It undermines really trusting institutions that as a community we rely on for comfort, for safety. We rely on people in his position for guidance and help. Your honor, today this court is going to be the ultimate voice. And the sentence that this court hands down today, the commonwealth believes needs to speak formal, not only for justice for the victim, but for protection, for healing.

[Judge Watson]

All right, thank you, Ms. Childress. Mr. Davies, any other, my clients would

[Prosecutor]

probably largely agree with most of that. As far as protective order, no problem. He wants protective order. He's abided by protective order without any issue whatsoever the last two or so the years probation people expects to get it. He will get it. He wants it. He wants that accountability. That's not really an issue. The issue is, of course, the. What the court does as far as sexual. As his wife testified to. He is the breadwinner. He's got three kids for life or they live in the same home. But the. But his wife is struggling. He did serve four days. The charges were a waiting Call. He stopped. Since that day, he accepts the punishment. He accepts eviction. But there was a reason. There was a relationship. Marie denied it, but Laura, his wife, just spiked.

[Judge Watson]

They were caught.

[Sergio Guardia]

Yeah.

[Prosecutor]

The phrase proofs in the pudding.

[Judge Watson]

If we're worried about the dangers of

[Prosecutor]

this part, his willingness to abide by the detective work speaks volumes. His support from his family speaks volumes. His love of his wife and his kids speak volumes. And then his willingness to take responsibility speaks volumes. He's fully committed to not making any excuses. He's just looking for suspended sentence. Long time roll. Present.

[Judge Watson]

Right. Thank you, Mr. Children. Anything else?

[Defense Attorney]

Yes, sir. Thank you, Mr.

[Judge Watson]

Guardian. Please stand, sir. Mr. Guardia, do you know of any reason that I shouldn't send it you today? Or is there anything you would like to say before I do send it you? All right, go ahead.

[Sergio Guardia]

I want to say sorry for Kings and sorry for everything. The past few years, I. I've been going to counseling personally and live my life. I copacetic with my life. I'm sorry to her family because I know this caused the stress of her life. I'm sorry for that. But I'm sorry also to my church, my community, and most of all, I'm

[Judge Watson]

very sorry to my wife.

[Sergio Guardia]

I have tried to move forward there. I'm honored to support my family and to do any amends I have to do. I'm grateful for the virtue address here. Say I'm sorry. I also to work with probation officer to move forward and whatever I have to do. That again, I'm sorry. I don't want to be in this

[Judge Watson]

sport again for any reason or any other. All right, well, thank you for that. Let me say a couple things. One thing that jumped out at me and I do remember the. The jury trial. This was not a one time exercise of bad judgment. This was conduct that was repeated and it wasn't random. It's clear that Ms. Colombia and her family were the targets of this activity. And why they were the target. You know, I've heard various reasons, but they were targeted in any event. And I've listened to Ms. Columna and I've read the letters about the impact that this has had on her. I've read the letters or reviewed the letters that people have written praising your character. And I don't pass judgment as to whether you're a good or bad man. That's not my job. But having considered all that, including the precincts report and the guidelines, and as Mr. Childress noted, the guidelines in this case only recommend probation. They do not recommend any Incarceration. I do not think the guidelines reflect the seriousness of this offense or the impact that it has had on Ms. Cullen and her family. So I do think a departure from the guidelines is appropriate. Having said all that, Mr. Guardia, it's a judgment of the court that you be sentenced as follows. On the first breaking and entering, I sentence you to term incarceration, five years. I'm going to suspend four years and nine months. On the second charge of breaking and entering, I sentence you to five years incarceration. I'm going to suspend five years. And on the charge of stalkings, I sentence you to a term of incarceration of 12 months. I'm going to. I'm going to suspend and 11 months. That's a total sentence of 10 years and 12 months, with four months to serve, the remainder being suspended. I will give you a delayed report date you to report to jail at 8 o' clock a.m. next Friday, October 24th. If you fail to report or you report late, that can result in additional charges and further consequences. I will also order, if you are eligible, that you can participate in work release. The suspended sentence has some conditions. I'm going to go over those with you now. First, you're to be of good behavior in all respects for a period of 10 years. Starting today, I'm placing you on two years of supervised probation that will start immediately upon your release from the jail. You're to report to your probation officer within three business days of your release. You're to comply with the conditions of probation and the directions of your probation office officer. I'm ordering you to have absolutely no contact with Ms. Columna or any members of her family or household. And I'm also going to enter a two year protective order that will go into effect today. You will be served with it before you leave the courthouse and that protective order will be in effect. It will be a no contact protective order for two years. Violations of a protective order will result in additional criminal charges as required by law. I'm ordering you to submit to a DNA test and provide legible fingerprints to the sheriff or jail if you've not done so, and to pay the court costs of this case on the schedule set by the clerk.

[Prosecutor]

Mr.

[Judge Watson]

Wary, do you understand those conditions? Do you have any questions about any of those conditions? So don't leave the courthouse until you're served with that protective order

[Marie Kalumna]

at the sentencing hearing. I watched Laura, Sergio's wife be called to the witness stand and she starts testifying. She's obviously very prepared at that point. I really felt defeated and also scared. This man has already been validated and encouraged and supported. That's when I got really actually fearful for my life. She was explaining how terrible the situation has been for them and it's been a living nightmare for them. Then she actually did admit that what he did wasn't right, which that's the first time I've ever heard that. But basically her whole testimony was about the impact on them and their kids and their life. I absolutely agree that her children are victims in this too, because it's going to impact them. I just was so angry when they talked about how it's impacted them financially. Me as the single mother, with everything that these people have done to me financially, I was livid to hear that. When she was finished with her testimony, then Sergio was given time to talk to the judge. It was basically like he was apologizing to the judge. That's what it sounded like. He didn't say what he was sorry for. There was nothing specific. I didn't think it was genuine. When he was done, then the judge said the guidelines recommend probation, which that's shocking with multiple breaking and enterings. But the judge said because of the details, that he felt like it was appropriate to go above the guidelines. So I all of a sudden felt like he's heard me. He understands the severity of this. He then explains because it wasn't just a one time thing. And the duration that he's decided to sentence Sergio to 11 years, five years for the one felony of breaking and entering, five years for the other felony of breaking and entering, and then one year for the stalking.

[Podcast Host (Tiffany Reiss)]

With only four months to serve, it

[Marie Kalumna]

was explained, 10 years, nine months suspended, meaning if he's charged again, that would be hanging over his head and he could serve the remainder of that time if he gets in trouble again with criminal charges. But it shocked me because I'm like eight years of prison for me that he put me through and he only gets four months in jail. Another thing that really surprised me was that the judge only reflected on these crimes for like a good 30 seconds maybe. It made me feel heard and yet not really hurt at all. As soon as the judge shared the sentencing, I felt a tapping on my back. The court victim advocate was like, we gotta go. And we were rushing out of the courtroom, even though everybody was still there and the judge was still talking. And I'm like, why are you rushing? We go all the way back to that room that we were in that morning. None of my supporters are in that room with Me. And the prosecutor's just smiling. He's so happy. And he's like, this was great. This is a win. Telling me how to feel and telling me what my opinion should be. That's what it felt like. And then finally he's like, what's wrong? And I said, why didn't I read my victim impact statement? He said, you did. And I said, no, I didn't. And he said, you answered the questions. I said, that is not reading my victim impact statement. And he said, well, you were looking down at your paper when you were answering the questions. That's not true. I never once looked down down when I was answering those questions. Then the other women that had come there for me came into the room. They were asking him questions. It just felt so weird that they were so involved. I can't even describe it, but it's almost like other people took ownership of the experience. And I'm just sitting here like, I'm not a part of this. We were there for maybe more than 30 minutes. We were waiting for the protective order. The bailiff comes back with the protective order, and we're still sitting there as the prosecutor is just talking and talking and talking. I just want to get the hell out of this wretched building. Finally, I'm like, why are we here? I just want to leave. So we leave then. Wset a reporter wanted to talk to me after. I'm just in a daze. I'm dissociated. I shouldn't have done this interview, but I did. She just asked me how I feel, and I'm just like, yeah, justice was served. Because I was told many times that he most likely won't go to jail. So when I'm expecting nothing and then he gets four months, of course I'm going to consider that a win.

[Podcast Host (Tiffany Reiss)]

Coming up on something was wrong.

[Marie Kalumna]

I was scrolling on TikTok and I saw a report from Daily Mail. I went to their site and I put in a brief summary of what happened. And the next morning, a reporter with Southwest News Service contacted me and was interested in doing an interview. That is what changed a lot of things. And I'm so thankful that I did that. I believe it's only made me safer, the fact that it made national news. Because now more eyes are on this.

[Podcast Host (Tiffany Reiss)]

Thank you endlessly to every Survivor guest and expert who has contributed to our community. We are eternally grateful for your bravery, energy and time. Something Was Wrong is a Broken Cycle Media Production created and produced by Tiffany Reiss. Thank you to our incredible team. Associate producer Amy B. Chesler, audio engineer Becca High and Social Media Marketing Manager Lauren Barkman. Special thanks to Sarah Stewart for our amazing Season 26 artwork, Stephen Wack for AD audio editing and our partners at AudioBoom. If you love Something was wrong and you want to help support the show and listen ad free, become a community contributor on Apple Podcasts or purchase a sticker from our sticker [e-mail] or tell everyone you know like your neighbor, sister, brother, yoga instructor, instructor, florist, telemarketer, reiki healer, stylist, trainer, mentor, parents, cousins, aunties, uncs, coaches, librarians, matcha artist, dance instructor, balloon artist, wedding planner, bridesmaids, bank teller, driver, dog groomer, dentist, orthodontist, esthetician, tattoo artist, house cleaner, accountant, tax preparer, insurance agent, mail carrier, crossing guard, barista, beekeeper, notary, public lifeguard, camp counselor, Florida flight attendant, dog walker, pet sitter, Pilates instructor, spin instructor, Tarot reader, acupuncturist, landscaper, electrician, plumber contractor, real estate agent, mortgage broker, optometrist, veterinarian, park ranger, farmers market vendor, Little League coach, PTA president, school librarian, substitute teacher, driving instructor, wedding officiant, travel agent, locksmith, Ferris wheel operator, hot air balloon pilot, llama farmer, falconer, puppeteer, professional mermaid or that one friend who's somehow just in everyone's business? If you know, you know. Thank you so much for listening. Until next time, stay safe.

[Muscle Milk Advertiser]

Friends.

[Amy B. Chesler]

Hi friends, this is Amy B. Chesler and if you've been loving listening to Something Was Wrong, you'll definitely want to check out Broken Cycle Media's sister podcast, what Came Next. With more than 170 episodes available, the series explores what happens after survivors share their stories publicly, diving into healing, justice, advocacy, and the lasting impact of trauma and media exposure. Co created and co produced by Tiffany Reiss, the show gives survivors a platform to discuss not just what happened, but where life led them next. Follow and listen to what came next wherever you get your podcasts.