SCRANTON — A Carbondale man who admitted assaulting a woman in 2018 will spend 12 to 24 months behind bars.
Todd A. Mowery, 51, was sentenced Wednesday by Lackawanna County President Judge Michael J. Barrasse for his guilty plea to simple assault.
Carbondale police arrested Mowery in March 2018 after a woman reported that he sexually assaulted her at his Upper Powderly Road home, according to investigators. The woman, who told police she feared for her safety, said Mowery threatened to get her into trouble if she spoke with authorities.
The Times-Tribune does not identify victims of sexual assault.
Mowery, who was originally charged with felony aggravated indecent assault and other offenses, initially pleaded guilty in December to a misdemeanor charge of indecent assault but withdrew the plea in May. He then pleaded guilty Aug. 26 to simple assault, also a misdemeanor.
His attorney, Terry McDonald, told Barrasse that while Mowery has a criminal history, he went almost a decade with no legal issues prior to the 2018 arrest.
The attorney recounted Mowery’s struggles since a young age with drug and alcohol abuse and suggested the defendant would benefit from treatment. Mowery also told the judge he has been dealing with his alcohol problems.
However, in handing down the sentence, Barrasse indicated he did not believe Mowery was serious about treatment.
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