City man gets state prison for assault conviction

Jones’ 1-2 year sentence reflects prior felonies

HOLLIDAYSBURG -- An Altoona man has been sentenced to one to two years in state prison for a simple assault conviction.

Blair County Judge Fred B. Miller, who presided over Jeffrey Lamar Jones' jury trial in February, on Thursday handed down the sentence at the bottom of the standard range of the state's sentencing guidelines for defendants with prior felony convictions.

The simple assault conviction was a second-degree misdemeanor.

Defense attorney Scott Pletcher said Monday that he argued in favor of nine months' incarceration, as reflected in the mitigated range of the state's sentencing guidelines showing nine months as the minimum.

In a presentence memorandum, Pletcher reminded the judge that the jury acquitted Jones, 42, of felony charges of aggravated assault, burglary and criminal trespass.

During the trial, Jones testified on his own behalf and told the jury: "We were two grown men who got into a fist fight."

Trial testimony indicated that the men knew each other and that on July 31, 2022, Jones went to the victim's residence on the 3300 block of Maple Avenue to retrieve items the victim took, including Christmas gifts, sunglasses, athletic shoes and a computer game system.

The victim told the jury that he was sleeping in his residence and woke up "to being punched" by Jones, but Jones said he knocked and the victim told him to come in.

Jones said he accused the victim of stealing his items and said the victim threw the first punch and ordered his dog to attack, leaving Jones with blood on his hand, as Altoona police mentioned in Jones' charges.

A police officer's body camera also captured a recording of the victim being asked how many times Jones struck him, prompting the victim to say: "Too many."

Trial testimony indicated that the victim was treated at UPMC Altoona Hospital for broken ribs, a collapsed lung and an eye socket injury.

Jones, who was free on bail prior to sentencing, was escorted to the county prison after the judge handed down his one-to-two-year sentence. From the county prison, Jones will be transferred to a state facility.

Pletcher also said Monday that he has filed a request with the court to consider action allowing Jones to keep a surgery appointment scheduled this month.

Mirror Staff Writer Kay Stephens is at 814-946-7456.