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Last updated on Monday, May 14, 2012
(TERRE HAUTE) - The Linton man who fired a sawed off shotgun at a Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife Area kayaker in July, 2011 was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison Friday afternoon in U.S. District Court at Terre Haute.
Nick Schneider, of the Greene County Daily World, reports Brandon Criss, 25, was indicted last year by a federal grand jury for firing a sawed-off .20 gauge shotgun July 14, 2011 that struck a kayaker Stephen Mobley, 63, who was loading his watercraft onto his car in a parking lot at the Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife Area.
Moberly sustained minor head injuries after being struck by shotgun pellets that Criss fired at him at the state-owned marsh area south of Linton.
Criss was apprehended soon after the incident after riding away on a bicycle that authorities said was stolen.
Criss entered a guilty plea Dec. 22, 2011 to a charge of unlawful possession of firearm by a convicted felon and possession of an unregistered firearm.
He was sentenced to five years and 10 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge William T. Lawrence. In addition, he was assessed a $500 fine and ordered to three years of supervised parole after his sentenced is served. During his parole period, he will be required to complete drug and mental health treatment plans.
Criss, who was arrested in July, 2011 was given credit for about 10 months already served while he was detained awaiting his sentencing, according to U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana Joe Hogsett.
Hogsett noted that in the federal prison system, inmates are required to serve at least 85 percent of their imposed sentences.
Criss faced a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.
Hogsett said Criss is a convicted felon - making it unlawful for him to possess any kind of firearm under federal law.
Criss was convicted Feb. 9, 2009 on one count of intimidation and one count of battery on a law enforcement officer resulting in bodily injury. He was sentenced to two years in prison.
The U.S. Attorney said he made a promise to the people of Greene County last year that his office would do all it could do to make those who possess and misuse firearms be accountable for their actions as part of his Violent Crime Initiative.
He called Friday's sentencing of Criss a good day for law enforcement and the citizens of Greene County.
"Obviously, we are pleased at the results in terms of the commitments we made to the people in Greene County," Hogsett said in a telephone interview. "It's a very good day for the citizens of Greene County to be rid of an individual off the streets, who has been a chronic, violent offender...we're glad the people of Greene County won't have to put up with him for a considerable amount of time."
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