HOLLIDAYSBURG — A New York man was sentenced Thursday to 4.5 to 15 years in prison for his involvement in vehicle thefts from Altoona Sheetz parking lots in early May 2025.

James M. Hurley Jr., 32, of Silver Creek, New York, pleaded guilty to two felony counts of robbery and a felony count each of robbery from a motor vehicle and conspiracy to commit robbery, as well as three summary traffic violations, in exchange for all other charges being dismissed.

Appearing alongside defense attorney Robin Pitt, Hurley entered his guilty pleas and was sentenced by President Judge Wade A. Kagarise during a trial list review hearing.

Blair County District Attorney Pete Weeks made the offer while also listing restitution to the case’s victims as a total of $2,564. Weeks said there were multiple victims and vehicles.

Kagarise ac­­­­cepted the plea and sentenced Hurley to about 54 to 180 months in a state correctional institute, to be followed by 12 months’ re-entry supervision. He also ordered Hurley to pay $750 in fines.

Hurley received credit for time served since May 8, 2025, and his remaining charges were dismissed.

The charges stem from a report of a stolen vehicle from the 400 E. Plank Road Sheetz parking lot the night of April 10, 2025. The victim told Altoona police his vehicle wasn’t where he parked it when he entered the Sheetz. Surveillance footage showed Hurley and his co-defendant Jordan Patrick Charles, 33, take the victim’s vehicle from the parking lot, according to the police report.

Another vehicle was reported stolen from the Chestnut Avenue Sheetz, with the victim telling police he had also left his vehicle running with keys in the ignition only to return to find Hurley and Charles in the front seats. The victim was injured when attempting to stop Hurley from stealing his car, the report states.

On April 15, officers were told the Toyota Yaris was found, along with Hurley and his girlfriend, by the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office in New York. At that point, Charles’ location was unknown, but he has since been taken into custody.

Charles faces three felony counts of robbery, two felony counts each of theft and conspiracy to commit theft, single felony counts of robbery of a motor vehicle, aggravated assault, conspiracy to commit robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery of a motor vehicle, as well as a single misdemeanor count of theft. He is scheduled for jury selection on April 20, online court documents state.

Mirror Staff Writer Rachel Foor-Musselman is at 814-946-7458.