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City man gets 30 months’ probation

Easterling to follow therapists’ recommendations

HOLLIDAYSBURG — An Altoona man with two recent confrontations with police was placed on probation for 30 months by Judge Daniel J. Milliron, whose focus was on helping the defendant straighten out his life.

The judge told 25-year-old Elijuah Jahad Easterling that in sentencing someone, he looks at three criteria: protection of the public, punishment and rehabilitation.

Milliron said he doesn’t believe the public needs protection from Easterling and he didn’t think punishment was the answer.

He turned his attention to helping Easterling deal with issues in his life, but he also had a warning.

If Easterling does not follow the conditions for his probation, he could eventually end up behind bars.

The judge wants Easterling to undergo mental health and drug and alcohol evaluations and to follow the recommendations made by the therapists.

Easterling also is barred from carrying a firearm.

The judge in imposing the sentence came down on the side of the defense that was presented by Assistant Public Defender Anthony Kattouf.

Easterling has been on probation before, and Kattouf indicated that it was helping him deal with issues from his past, including a car accident that occurred when he was 13 years old in which a brother died.

“Probation is a good resource for him to deal with his issues,” Kattouf stated.

“He’s at least trying to better himself,” he said.

Easterling also made a plea for probation, telling the judge that he was not as bad a person as people were proclaiming and noting his goals now include raising a newborn daughter.

Assistant District Attorney Thomas K. Burkhart recommended a sentence of six to 23 months in prison followed by three years’ probation.

Easterling was before

Milliron to be sentenced for two incidents: one in February 2019 and the other in February 2018.

In the most recent incident, city police were called to Easterling’s home after he and his girlfriend engaged in a domestic dispute.

Easterling, holding his child, became disruptive as officers attempted to interview the girlfriend.

He refused to remain still. When he attempted to leave the home with the child, police blocked him. That led to a confrontation with several officers, who took Easterling to the floor and handcuffed him.

During the fray, Easterling suffered a fracture of a bone in his eye socket.

In the jury trial trial this month, Public Defender Russell Montgomery argued, “It’s not a crime to rant and rave in your house.”

District Attorney Richard A. Consiglio retorted, “He’s interfering with something police officers are supposed to do.”

The jury found Easterling not guilty of resisting arrest but guilty of obstructing justice and disorderly conduct.

The older case involved the unauthorized use of an automobile.

He was sentenced to a year’s probation on the obstruction of justice charge and six months’ probation for disorderly conduct and well as a year’s probation for the unauthorized use of a vehicle, bringing his total probation to 30 months.

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