MARSHALL — A Marshall business owner pleaded guilty in Lyon County District Court to charges of making terroristic threats. Gregory Taylor, 78, entered an Alford plea to the charges at a Tuesday court hearing. In an Alford plea, Taylor maintains that he is innocent, but understands that there would be enough evidence that a jury would likely convict him of the charges.

A sentencing hearing was set for a date in January.

Taylor was charged with second degree assault with a dangerous weapon, and making terroristic threats. A criminal complaint alleged that Taylor grabbed a handgun during a dispute with a man in Marshall in April. The man, a tenant at a rental property owned by Taylor, had requested to vacate his apartment and asked for a copy of his lease agreement, the complaint alleged. The complaint alleged that Taylor told the man to leave, and grabbed a handgun.

In a statement to police, Taylor said the man had hesitated to sign a vacancy agreement, and later refused to leave the office until he got a copy of his lease, the complaint alleged. Taylor said he took a pistol down from a shelf and placed it in his back pocket, the complaint alleged.

At Tuesday’s hearing, Taylor’s attorney said he had a plea agreement for the court. As part of the agreement, Taylor would enter an Alford plea for the threat charges, and would receive a three-year stay on his sentence, an $800 fine, be required to attend anger management classes, and not be allowed to possess firearms or ammunition. The plea agreement said defense and prosecuting attorneys could make arguments at a sentencing hearing as to whether whether Taylor would also serve up to 90 days in jail.

Under the plea agreement, the second degree assault charges against Taylor would be dismissed at sentencing.

The court set a sentencing hearing date of Jan. 13.