Times Observer photo The front page of the February 12 edition of the Times Observer, the day after James McDaniel was arrested and charged with murder in the death of Marcus Mattson.

A look back at some of the most notable criminal cases that Warren County saw in 2016.

Murder

The county is in the midst of its first capital murder case in a decade. J

James Anthony McDaniel, 25, of Russell is charged with criminal homicide; reckless burning or exploding; conspiracy – reckless burning or exploding; theft by unlawful taking; abuse of corpse; and tamper with or fabricate physical evidence in connection with the February death of Marcus Mattson, 18, of Russell.

The next proceedings set in the case are a settlement conference with the district attorney on Jan. 9, 2017 followed by calendar call on Jan. 23 barring a continuance.

District Attorney Rob Greene announced his intent to seek the death penalty in July.

According to a document filed by Greene regarding that intent, “new evidence was discovered by the Commonwealth which alleges that the defendant, James Anthony McDaniel, tortured the victim, Marcus Allen Mattson, during the alleged offense at count one of the criminal information; to wit, Criminal Homicide.

Upton called ‘monster’, sent to state prison

“You’re her monster.”

Judge Gregory Hammond classified Jonathan Garrett Upton, 34, Spring Creek, as a sexually violent predator on Thursday and sentenced him to state prison for at least the next decade.

“You’re a sexually violent predator and I need to sentence you accordingly,” he said.

The sentence will run an aggregate of 120 to 240 months on charges included statutory sexual assault: 11 years older, indecent assault person less than 13 years of age, endangering the welfare of children, corruption of minors and other sexual offenses.

Geiger gets time in prison

A Warren man who pleaded guilty to running a corrupt organization was sentenced to 92 to 184 months in state prison in October.

Franklyn M. Geiger, 47, Warren, was sentenced by Judge Gregory Hammond.

The aggregate total of the sentences to six separate charges results in 92 to 184 months in a state correctional institution on two counts of possession with intent to deliver, criminal use of a communications facility, corrupt organizations, buying/exchanging federal food stamps and cruelty to animals.

Among many charges alleged in the affidavit of probable cause, Geiger had tenants and employees who bought and sold drugs for him, his tenants paid rent in part or in full through selling drugs, Geiger bought Pennsylvania Access cards from people, and, on two occasions, he sold drugs to confidential informants.

Geiger and several other alleged members of his organization were arrested in an early-morning, multi-agency raid on Feb. 4 at multiple locations in Warren.

Former teacher sentenced to jail stemming from sex with student

A former Warren County School District teacher was taken from sentence court to Warren County Jail in April.

Michael A. Bancroft, 31, of North Warren, was sentenced to three to 23 months in jail, with credit for two days served, for corruption of minors.

Bancroft was originally charged with five felonies related to meeting with a 16-year-old girl, driving her to his house, having sex with her, and sharing marijuana with her, in November 2014. He entered a plea of guilty to corruption of minors, and possession of drug paraphernalia, both misdemeanors, in February.

“A 29-year-old teacher had sex with a 16-year-old student – formerly his student,” District Attorney Rob Greene said.

“There’s no excuse,” Bancroft said. “I’m deeply sorry, in particular to the young lady and her family.”

‘You violated them’

Frank Williams molested three girls between the ages of 5 and 8.

He “groomed them to be best buddies.”

He “might as well have thrown a hand grenade” into their homes.

Even if he successfully undergoes treatment as a sexual offender, he is “a bad moment away from ruining another girl’s life… another family’s life.”

As a result, Franklin D. Williams, 68, of Warren, will spend the next almost 20 to 40 years in prison.

Williams entered guilty pleas in October. He was sentenced Friday by Judge Gregory Hammond 78 to 156 months in state prison on each of three counts of aggravated indecent assault. Each count represents a separate victim.

“The sentences obviously have to be consecutive,” Hammond said. “There’s no discount for multiple victims.”

“You sexually assaulted three girls between the ages of five and eight,” Hammond said. “After you earned their trust, one by one, you violated them.”

“This is a lifetime for all three of these girls,” Hammond said. Compared to Williams’ “perhaps minutes of selfish, disgusting, despicable conduct.”

Sentenced

A Youngsville man who entered guilty pleas to five counts related to theft from the volunteer fire department he served as treasurer was sentenced in July to a term in Warren County Jail.

Ken Roberts, 57, of Youngsville was taken to jail for a term of seven months to two years minus one day after sentencing before Judge Maureen Skerda.

“It is a series of events that took place over a period of time,” she said. “This is not a mistake.”

Roberts spoke briefly prior to sentencing. “I’ve accepted responsibility from day one,” he said. “I truly regret the facts of what’s happened.”

He expressed his apologies to the community and the fire department.

Attorney Elizabeth Feronti, representing Roberts, said he had paid the agreed-upon amount in full already.

’25 to Life’

A Warren man accused of attempted homicide in August could face over 50 years in prison if found guilty and sentenced to the maximum permissible penalty.

Keller Reid Wolfgang, 33, 104 Park Ave., allegedly stabbed a woman “more than one time in the neck and back area” and then posted about the incident multiple times on his Facebook page.

Wolfgang was initially charged with aggravated assault, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person while a count of criminal attempt – criminal homicide was added at the original date of his preliminary hearing, which was continued to Wednesday.

Wolfgang allegedly sent a text message later that night that read, “you can’t come got (sic) me…I’m covered in blood. I snapped. I have done an awful thing that I have to live with because I’m sick.” A final text message was allegedly sent at 11:10 p.m. that said, “I am gonna do 25 to life. I’m out.”

Home Invasion

In August a Warren man arrived at his home in the 3300 block of Pleasant Drive to find three black males inside, according to police.

Two of them fled, while the resident held a third at gunpoint.

Lasheam Steward, 26, Buffalo is, to date, the only one of the three suspects involved that has been apprehended.

One of the men the one held at gunpoint eventually fled on foot.

The other allegedly ran out the back of the house, stole a truck belonging to a neighbor crashed it, assaulted another resident who had been following him in a second truck, stole that vehicle, hit the resident with the truck, crashed that truck, and fled on foot.