Man sentenced for assaulting teen at Sherman Hills

Jun. 22—WILKES-BARRE — One of two men accused of assaulting a juvenile about a missing firearm inside a Sherman Hills apartment was sentenced in Luzerne County Court.

Tayquan Edgarfran Jones, 37, known as Geetz, of Sherman Hills, and Tyquan J. Smith, 29, known as Whoopty, of Brooklyn, N.Y., were accused by Wilkes-Barre police of luring a teen to an apartment where the youth was confronted about a missing firearm on March 10, 2021, according to court records.

The juvenile told police Smith forced him to strip his clothes and stand in a bathtub, where Smith threatened to kill him with a rifle, court records say.

Smith left the apartment and told Jones to keep watch over the juvenile.

Jones allowed the juvenile to get dressed. When the juvenile attempted to escape, a struggle ensued as Jones stabbed the teen in the abdomen, court records say.

Smith returned to the apartment and allegedly struck the teen several times with the butt-end of the rifle.

Judge David W. Lupas sentenced Jones to one-to-two years and two years probation on charges of aggravated assault and unlawful restraint. Jones pled guilty to the charges Dec. 30.

Lupas permitted Jones to serve his sentence at the county correctional facility.

Smith pled guilty May 9 to aggravated assault and is scheduled to be sentenced July 12.