Judge warns man to clean up his act
A Butler judge provided a warning to steer away from crime during the sentencing Thursday of a Butler man found guilty of assault and theft.
“I don't want to see you here again. You're still a young man and if you don't turn your life around, you're going to end up dead or in state prison,” county Judge Timothy McCune told Lukus Todd Safranek in court after sentencing him to 8 to 23½ months in jail for beating and robbing a man earlier this year.
Safranek, 24, was already in Butler County Prison since his arrest in January after a district judge denied him bail. On June 10, Safranek pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge of theft and simple assault.
McCune gave him credit for time already served and Safranek will serve the rest of his sentence in the county jail.
Safranek didn't attack the man by himself, according to police. The case against his co-defendant, Sheldon L. Hile, 22, is ongoing.
Police said that around 1:30 p.m. Jan. 23, the defendants assaulted a 21-year-old man who was walking on Liberty Street. The victim, documents said, told investigators that Safranek punched him in the face and slammed him to the ground.
Hile allegedly kicked the man while he was on the ground. The victim recounted that he had a knife that fell out of his pocket during the alleged assault.
He said Hile picked it up, pointed it at him and threatened to stab him, documents said.
The suspects “rummaged through” the man's pockets, according to a police affidavit, and took an Apple iPhone and an unopened pack of cigarettes before running off.
Officers described the victim's injuries as bruising to the face and bleeding around the mouth. He was treated at Butler Memorial Hospital for the injuries.
McCune also sentenced Safranek in a second case Thursday. He was given one year of probation and 25 hours of community service for simple assault. Safranek was charged Dec. 7 and pleaded guilty June 10.
