District Attorney Stephanie L. Vettenburg-Shaffer reported Friday that, following a sentencing hearing at the McKean County Courthouse on Thursday, Matthew Howard was sentenced to 8 years to 16 years and one year of additional supervision for aggravated assault and other crimes.

Howard, 27, was convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, possessing an instrument of crime, and terroristic threats, following a jury trial on Dec. 20, 2021 for aggravated assault with a knife for stabbing another man in the City of Bradford, as well as other crimes. The case was investigated by Officer Clayton Yohe.

Also at the sentencing hearing, the defendant pled guilty to one count of Procuring a Weapon. While incarcerated at the McKean County Jail, the defendant made a weapon. That case was investigated by County Detective Linda Close. The defendant will serve his sentence in the State Department of Corrections.

Shaffer also reported that James Gavin Williams, III, was sentenced to a period of incarceration of 54 months to 108 months for crimes of Possession with Intent to Delivery (368 grams of methamphetamine and 28 grams of cocaine); Persons not to Possess Firearms; and Possessing Instruments of Crime in the City of Bradford between June 20, 2021 and July 2, 2021. Officer Joshua Frederoski investigated the case. The Pennsylvania SERT (Special Emergency Response Team) assisted City of Bradford Officers. The sentence will be served consecutively to a sentence he was previously ordered to serve following conviction for Persons Not to Possess Firearms for a total sentence of 63 months to 126 months and 1 year of consecutive reentry supervision.

Shaffer stated, “These cases are an example of the excellent police work seen every day in our county. They also highlight the excellent collaboration among agencies in the county. The investigating officers in these cases, as well as their assisting officers, answer calls of violence, crimes against children, and drug crimes daily and their diligent work is commendable.”