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HOLLIDAYSBURG -- A city man acquitted on five of seven felony counts in late May for his role in a robbery that left a man with a gunshot wound to the thigh was sentenced Friday afternoon to three to 10 years' incarceration on the two remaining counts.
A Blair County jury found Keshaun Randolph, 26, not guilty of two felony counts each of robbery and aggravated assault and a single felony count of criminal trespass. At the same time, the jury found Randolph guilty of felony criminal conspiracy and burglary for his role in the non-fatal shooting.
On Friday, Randolph appeared alongside defense attorney Kristen Anastasi for a sentencing hearing in front of President Judge Wade A. Kagarise, who presided over Randolph's two-day trial.
Assistant District Attorney Jonathan Thomas, who prosecuted the case, recommended a state sentence of five to 15 years' imprisonment. He also asked that Randolph be ordered to pay restitution totaling about $16,223 to the state crime lab in Greensburg.
Thomas noted Randolph "does have a significant criminal history" dating back to 2015.
Thomas said the recommendation was appropriate because Randolph would have more opportunities to focus on rehabilitation in state prison.
"This sentence also takes into consideration the severity of his conduct," Thomas said.
In arguing for the sentence to include a deadly weapon enhancement, which requires a judge to add prison time to a standard sentence if a deadly weapon was possessed or used during a crime, Thomas said Randolph was in a car with two men with firearms. He argued that Randolph could have easily taken possession of the guns due to the close proximity.
Anastasi asked Kagarise to impose a mitigated sentence without the enhancement, saying the jury found Randolph not guilty of the charges that entailed violence.
"The jury rejected the crimes of violence in this case," Anastasi said.
She argued that Randolph never had a gun, was never given a gun and even testified to having a gun pointed at him to make him cooperate in the incident. She then recommended a sentence of 18 months or less, saying Randolph has already served five months.
"A sentence of 18 months or below is not a slap on the wrist," Anastasi said. "It would be enough for his role in this."
When given the opportunity to address the court, Randolph asked to be considered for the state drug treatment program, which Thomas had already objected to.
"I actually want to do something for myself," Randolph said.
Randolph told Kagarise that he never had a job or identification so he always went home from prison "winging it." The state drug treatment program would give him access to a halfway house and identification.
"Even if I'm incarcerated, I'm going to go home to nothing," Randolph said. "I learn from my mistakes, at least I try to."
In handing down Randolph's sentence, Kagarise said he didn't think including the deadly weapon enhancement would be appropriate in Randolph's case as he doesn't believe Randolph directly had access to a firearm.
"It looks like the jury thinks Mr. Randolph entered into the home knowing a crime was going to occur there," Kagarise said.
Kagarise said he felt a minimum sentence of 36 months' incarceration would be appropriate and that if he had imposed a deadly weapon enhancement, he would have gone below the standard range to sentence Randolph to a minimum of 36 months anyway. He also told Randolph that he could not recommend him for the state drug treatment program because the District Attorney's Office had objected.
"I hope Mr. Randolph uses this opportunity to get the treatment he needs," Kagarise said. He then told Randolph it was "time for you to get it together."
In addition to the three to 10 years' sentence, Kagarise ordered Randolph to pay restitution, pay $300 in fines and have no contact with the case's victims.
The charges were brought against Randolph after he was accused alongside two other men of robbing a residence along the 1000 block of Sixth Avenue on Jan. 16, 2022. According to court documents, one of the other two men, who were wearing masks, pointed a gun at the victim when he opened the door. They demanded to know where "the sack" was and after a struggle, the victim was shot in the thigh.
Police reported that another man in the house came downstairs with a gun and told the three to get out of his house before 911 was called for the injured man.
Randolph was initially free after posting $100,000 bail in April 2022 but was remanded to the Blair County Prison following his conviction to await sentencing.
Mirror staff writer Rachel Foor-Musselman is at 814-946-7458.