A woman who took a gun into a Chattanooga bank looking for her husband's ex-wife was sentenced on Monday to serve 30 months in federal prison.
Zoya Zakwan, 44, of Murfreesboro, appeared before Judge Sandy Mattice.
Attorney John Nicoll of Manchester said she had already served 18 months at the Silverdale Workhouse. Judge Mattice declined to rule on whether that would count toward the 30 months of federal time.
Prosecutor Chris Poole argued that it should not, noting that she still faces charges in state court that include attempted first-degree murder.
Ms. Zakwan apologized to the ex-wife and two employees of CapitalMark Bank. She said, "I'm not a nut," though she said when she watches a video of the Aug. 2, 2011, incident "I think I'm a nut in that video."
She said at the time she was on heavy medication and was "in a bad marriage." She said her husband convinced her that her intended victim was abusing their children.
Ms. Zakwan said while she has been in jail she missed the birth of her first grandchild and her daughter's wedding, and she said her grandmother had a stroke.
Ms. Zakwan would have faced much more time had it been ruled that she was involved in attempted murder. It was ruled aggravated assault instead since Judge Mattice noted that the gun was not loaded. She had bullets with her, but they did not fit the gun.
The intended victim, who was at lunch at the time of the bizarre incident that included Ms. Zakwan disrobing on the sidewalk outside, said she still believes Ms. Zakwan may come after her. She said she walks in a zigzag pattern when she does go out.
She said soon after the incident she covered all the windows in the house.
One of the bank employees said, "She had no regard for my life and my family's life."
She said, "I won't walk downtown to this day."
Judge Mattice said, "It was a minor miracle that no one was killed. The most likely would have been Ms. Zakwan herself."