SMETHPORT — A Bradford man was sentenced Thursday in McKean County Court to state prison for allegations he threatened to set his house on fire.
Christopher L. Ausherman, 50, of Smethport, will serve two to four years in state prison with credit for 277 days of time served for charges of terroristic threats and simple assault by physical menace.
Of the case, District Attorney Stephanie Vettenburg-Shaffer said, “They don’t make a charge that appropriately fits what occurred here.”
She explained that Ausherman said he wanted to set fire to his house while a person and dog were inside, even trying to set the couch and carpet on fire with a lighter. However, he was not charged with arson because he did not actually start a fire.
Also in court, Austin Tankersley, 25, of East Smethport, was sentenced to three months to one year in McKean County Jail with credit for 75 days of time served and one year of consecutive probation for a charge of simple assault. On March 7, Tankersley pleaded guilty to allegations that on Jan. 8, he slapped his girlfriend across the face and pulled her down a hallway by her hair.
Kaitlyn J. Polley, 22, of Sheffield, will serve five years in the Intermediate Punishment Program for charges of DUI-controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and a summary charge.
Matthew S. Bleem, 32, of Bradford, will serve five years in the Intermediate Punishment Program for charges of DUI-controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and a summary charge.
Timothy M. McCommons, 45, of Bradford, will serve one year of probation for a charge of simple assault. McCommons pleaded guilty March 7 to allegations that on Sept. 24, he hurt a woman with a deadly weapon through negligence when his vehicle went into gear, causing her to be dragged for a very short time and suffer road burn.
Geromia R. Schoonover, 36, of Port Allegany, will serve one year of probation for a charge of false identification to a law enforcement officer. Schoonover pleaded guilty to March 7 to allegations that on June 29, he furnished law enforcement with a false identification while under an official investigation, saying he was Jason Winston.
Gregory A. Westlake, 56, of Bradford, will serve eight days to one year in McKean County Jail with credit for eight days of time serve for charges of possession of a controlled substance and a summary charge.
Kyle Miller, 25, of Kane, will serve 14 days to six months in McKean County Jail with credit for seven days of time served for charges of DUI-alcohol and summary charges.
Feleshia A. Carr, 31, of Rochester, N.Y., will serve 12 days to six months in McKean County Jail with credit for 12 days of time served for a charge of DUI-controlled substance.
Holly A. Smith, 48, of Valrico, Fla., will serve six months of probation for a charge of retail theft.
