Teen who fired gun into car gets prison time
Age, remorse led to judge imposing sentence beneath standard range of state guidelines
HOLLIDAYSBURG — A 19-year-old Altoona man will spend six to 23.5 months in the Blair County Prison for firing shots into a parked vehicle about a year ago.
Shayne E. Curfman, 309 S. Eighth St., one of three people arrested in connection with the shooting, entered guilty pleas Friday morning before Judge Timothy M. Sullivan, who handed down the sentence.
“My hope for you, Mr. Curfman, is that you’ve learned from this and that (after release from prison), you’ll no longer be involved in the criminal justice system,” he said.
Curfman entered the pleas to criminal conspiracy involving an unlicensed firearm, recklessly endangering another person, criminal mischief and disorderly conduct.
Defense attorney Douglas Keating asked for a probationary sentence, telling Sullivan that his client had a difficult childhood and that Curfman’s actions were at the behest of a co-defendant, Priscilla Mae LaCroce, 1006 1/2 Fifth Ave.
Based on charges filed by Altoona police, LaCroce was angry with the owner of the vehicle so she directed Curfman and Richard E. Bush Jr., also of 1006 1/2 Fifth Ave., to damage the vehicle. LaCroce and Bush entered guilty pleas last March for their roles in the incident, and each was sentenced to five years’ probation.
Assistant District Attorney Jackie Bernard recommended incarceration based on the seriousness of the crime.
“He discharged a firearm into somebody else’s property,” Bernard said.
On Jan. 17, 2016, Altoona police collected three .45-caliber bullet casings on the 800 block of Sixth Avenue Alley where the parked vehicle, a 2000 Chevrolet Blazer, was found with a bullet hole in its windshield, a damaged headrest and a shattered rear window.
When questioned by police, Curfman admitted to the shooting, said he did it at LaCroce’s direction and that Bush had accompanied him to the alley.
Sullivan said that Curfman’s age and remorse were reasons for deviating beneath the standard range of the state’s sentencing guidelines showing 12-24 months incarceration.
“I apologized to (the victim) and she accepted my apology,” Curfman told the judge.
Sullivan reminded Curfman that he should not allow himself to be influenced as he was.
“You’re an adult … that’s not an acceptable behavior,” the judge said.
The sentence permits Curfman to delay reporting to prison until March 3.
Curfman, as part of his sentence, also must also undergo a mental health evaluation, counseling for anger management issues and enroll in behavioral therapy.
Mirror Staff Writer Kay Stephens is at 946-7456.
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