Man sentenced in racially motivated attack
Aug. 30—MERCER — A Mercer County Common Pleas judge sentenced a Sharpsville man Monday to house arrest in a case stemming from an attack on a Black man at a Sharon bar in April 2021.
Casey Thomas Boyer, 28, pleaded guilty to charges of ethnic intimidation, robbery and simple assault in the case. Boyer was accused of joining three other men in a racially motivated attack against the man, police said.
President Judge Daniel P. Wallace sentenced Boyer to 6 to 24 months in Mercer County Jail, which he is eligible to serve on house arrest. The sentence is followed by 5 years probation.
A specific condition of Boyer's parole and probation is that he can not associate with or have any affiliation with the Outlaw motorcycle gang or any gang.
"This was nothing but a racist attack," Wallace said, as Boyer shook his head. "Yes, it was."
Wallace added that he also thought the crime was connected to Boyer's affiliation with the Outlaw motorcycle gang.
"You jumped (the victim), took his watch and it was all caught on surveillance video," Wallace said. "Racism in Pennsylvania ... it blows my mind."
Defense Attorney Gregory Metrick said there is no evidence that the attack had anything to do with the motorcycle gang.
Two other men involved in the case were to be sentenced Monday, but their hearings were continued because defense attorneys said they can prove the attack was not racially motivated.
Thomas L. Boyer II, 49, Harrisville, pleaded guilty to riot and simple assault; and John Michael Fortuna, 43, Transfer, pleaded guilty to riot, ethnic intimidation and simple assault.
"We can prove it by the statement of (the victim)," Thomas Boyer's defense attorney, Neil E. Rothschild, said. "He didn't plead guilty to ethnic intimidation. We refuse to admit it's racially motivated."
Rothschild asked for a continuance and a for a special showing scheduled for Wallace to view the video surveillance tape.
The fourth suspect, Papillon Keeler, 46, West Middlesex, previously pleaded guilty to simple assault and unlawful restraint and was sentenced to 22 days to 18 months in Mercer County Jail followed by 5 years probation.
Police said the attack happened April 29, 2021, at the Marigold Tavern, 38 N. Main St., Sharon.
In a criminal complaint, police said two witnesses, video surveillance images and the victim's account all indicated that the four men attacked the victim.
Police said the victim sustained several injuries.
Mercer County District Attorney Peter C. Acker said the four men attacked the victim without provocation.
Video footage shows Keeler kicking the victim, according to Acker, as well as Thomas Boyer "grabbing him in a chokehold from behind" as Fortuna and Casey Boyer punched him repeatedly.
Acker said one of the group used a racial slur, which in concert with the attack, left them open to the ethnic intimidation charge.
Sentence hearings for Thomas Boyer and Fortuna were scheduled for Sept. 27.
Follow Melissa Klaric on twitter @HeraldKlaric or email her at mklaric@sharonherald.com
Follow Melissa Klaric on twitter @HeraldKlaric or email her at mklaric@sharonherald.com
