BALLSTON SPA (AP) — An upstate New York man who accidentally shot his wife to death while cleaning his gun has been sentenced to probation.

Eric Rosenbrock, of Corinth, was sentenced to five years on probation Monday in Saratoga County Court.

The 35-year-old Rosenbrock pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide in September. He was charged with shooting Ashley Rosenbrock in November 2018 while cleaning his 9 mm handgun.

Rosenbrock says he didn’t check if there were bullets in the magazine as he reassembled his gun, and it fired when he racked the slide.

The victim’s mother Lorraine Tefft wept Monday as she told the judge her sadness has been “overwhelming,” but she stands by Rosenbrock.

If Rosenbrock violates his probation, he faces up to four years in state prison as per his plea deal.