CLEARFIELD – A Woodland man who threatened a group of people with a gun was given a lengthy state prison sentence Tuesday during sentencing court.
Joseph H. Lansberry, 34, pleaded guilty to 20 counts each of terroristic threats and recklessly endangering another person as well as eight counts of simple assault in relation to an incident Sept. 15 in Bradford Township.
According to the affidavit, state police were called to a report of a man with a handgun at the residence at 8:30 p.m.
The victims and witnesses stated that Lansberry came onto the victim’s property and fired one shot into the yard. He then continuously pointed the loaded handgun at the victims, saying he would “bring his handgun back” to the property every time he was “disturbed” by noise.
Prior to sentencing, his attorney, Brian Manchester said there was no excuse for Lansberry’s actions and that he decided to plead guilty because he didn’t want to put the victims through a trial. Lansberry himself apologized for his actions.
District Attorney William A. Shaw Jr. stated that he disagreed with the recommended sentence from the probation office, which was “like sentencing him for only one victim” when there were 20 victims, he explained.
“This man shot a firearm and put a lot of people in danger,” he said.
Judge Paul Cherry commented that it was fortunate that the incident was not worse than it was and called it a “senseless, stupid act” that couldn’t go without repercussions.
Cherry then sentenced Lansberry to six months to one year in state prison on each of four counts of terroristic threats, giving him a total sentence of two to four years. The remaining counts on that charge all were given concurrent sentences. The additional charges each received one-year concurrent probation.
