Nov. 7—WILKES-BARRE — A person accused of putting a 9-year-old lady in a chokehold and repeatedly putting the kid with a belt amongst different assaults was sentenced to as much as 9 years in state jail.
Luzerne County Choose David W. Lupas sentenced Mathew John Garcia, 37, to three years, six months to 9 years in state jail adopted by two years probation on prices of endangering the welfare of youngsters and corruption of minors.
Mathew Garcia pled responsible to the fees Might 22, when prosecutors withdrew prices of aggravated assault, strangulation, indecent assault and terroristic threats.
Pennsylvania State Police at Wilkes-Barre arrested Mathew Garcia and his mom, Lillian Garcia, 55, in June 2022, after the kid was questioned by a forensic interviewer on the Luzerne County Youngsters’s Advocacy Heart.
Lillian Garcia was accused of overlaying up the lady’s facial accidents with make-up. She is scheduled for trial subsequent week earlier than Lupas on a hindering apprehension cost.
State police investigators went to an residence on the Oyo Motel on state Route 115 in Bear Creek Township to conduct a welfare examine after receiving an nameless cellphone name concerning a priority for the lady.
When troopers knocked on the door, Mathew Garcia grew to become evasive and wouldn’t allow troopers inside to see the lady. After a number of minutes, Mathew Garcia permitted the lady to go outdoors sporting a masks that obstructed most of her face, courtroom information say.
When the lady eliminated the masks, troopers noticed bruises on her proper cheek that was lined with make-up, based on courtroom information.
Mathew Garcia and his mom claimed, courtroom information say, the harm was brought on by a toy thrown by a 2-year-old lady.
The 9-year-old and 2-year-old lady had been taken into protecting custody and later decided each had been lined with lice. A medical analysis revealed the 9-year-old had bruises on her physique, ensuing within the forensic interview on the Youngsters’s Advocacy Heart the place she disclosed being choked, slapped, kicked and struck with a belt, courtroom information say.