A South Bend firefighter was found guilty on Thursday, Sept. 24, of intimidating his estranged wife.

Fronse Smith was found guilty of intimidation, a level 6 felony, by a jury, WNDU reported.

Smith was accused of calling his estranged wife May 30 and telling her that he would wait at her home and split her chest open with an ax when she came home. He reportedly became angry when she wasn’t home when he arrived to drop off their 4-year-old son.

He was placed on unpaid leave by the Board of Public Safety on Sept. 16 pending the outcome of his trial.

He faces a sentence of up to 2 ½ years in prison. His sentencing hearing is set for Nov. 4.