CLEARFIELD – A Bellefonte man accused of stealing a truck, setting it on fire and robbing an elderly woman in her home in February of 2015 was sentenced to state prison Tuesday during plea and sentencing court in Clearfield County.
Christopher James Handte, 26, currently an inmate of state prison, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, two counts of robbery, two counts of burglary, arson, three counts of theft by unlawful taking, two counts of receiving stolen property, unlawful restraint, false imprisonment, and access device fraud before President Judge Fredric J. Ammerman. He was sentenced to a total of 15 to 30 years in state prison.
Prior to sentencing Mike Marshall, attorney for Handte, asked Ammerman to make this sentence concurrent to the state sentence he is now serving. Marshall explained that in 2015 Handte received two, other state prison sentences.
In Adams County, he was sentenced to one to five years in state prison and in Clearfield County he was sentenced to six months to three years in state prison for two theft cases. In addition, he is serving a two-year sentence on a state parole violation.
Assistant District Attorney Joshua Maines told the court that of all the cases he has seen, “if ever there was a case that warrants a consecutive sentence, it is this one.”
Ammerman ruled the new sentence will run consecutive to these other sentences.
The victim addressed the court noting that she left Handte into her home “because it was very cold” and he needed help.
“He hurt me and everyone who cares about me,” she said.
She explained that it took over $1 million to get her health to what it is now and she realizes now it will never be what it was before this incident.
“He took 15 years off my life,” she said.
Ammerman told her that he was glad she was feeling better and that it is “too bad” she had to go through this.
When Handte was asked if he wanted to say anything, he apologized “to all the victims” for putting them through this torture. He said he hoped the victim could overcome this, but that he would be going to “relive it all my life.”
Ammerman gave credit to Handte for stepping up and taking responsibility and signing a plea so the victim didn’t have to go through a trial.
Click here to read prior GANT News coverage.