Home invasions conspirators sentenced

BY STACI WILSON

The conspirators in a January home invasion style robbery that ended with the ringleader being shot in the groin by the victim were sentenced Thursday in Susquehanna County Court.

Francis Muchanic, 31, Susquehanna, will spend 4-1/2 to 9 years in state prison, followed by 10 years probation on a felony count of burglary with a person present. He also received lesser, concurrent sentences for theft and simple assault in sentences handed down by President Judge Kenneth Seamans.

Muchanic, along with Evan Hess, 20, Forest City, Dylan Brewer, 20, New Milford, and Erica Major, 31, Susquehanna planned to rob David Braman residence in New Milford Twp.

Muchanic knocked on the door of Braman’s residence, told the 69-year-old man he had car troubles and needed to use his telephone. Hess and Brewer were waiting outside the door.

Braman, who carried his .357 Smith & Wesson revolver to the door, tried to keep Muchanic from entering when he noticed he was wearing a ski mask. Muchanic struck

Braman and the two men struggled for control of the gun. Muchanic was shot in the groin, and then fled the scene in a car driven by Major. Hess and Brewer fled on foot.

Major drove Muchanic over the New York-Pennsylvania border Major then called for emergency help, concocting a story that Muchanic was shot while trying to assist a disabled motorist.

District Attorney Jason Legg said, “The New York State Police saw through that quickly.”

Muchanic had taken the gun with him as he fled the

Braman home. The weapon was found in Major’s vehicle.

In the assault, Braman sustained a concussion and several teeth were knocked loose. District Attorney Jason Legg told the court Braman was still recovering from the injuries.

In court Thursday, District Attorney Jason Legg said Muchanic and co-conspirator Dylan Brewer, 20, of New Milford, first began planning the robbery when the two met while they were previously incarcerated.

The plan, Legg told the court, had been for Muchanic and Hess to hold Braman down while Brewer located the money they believed the elderly man had in the home. Major acted as the driver – waiting in the car.

In court Thursday, Muchanic offered an apology to Braman. “I’m not a violent person,” he said, adding that this crime happened because of his “severe drug problem” and that he planned to take advantage of drug and alcohol programs while he was incarcerated.

In a statement read to the court by the district attorney, Braman said he no longer feels safe in his own home. “I thought I was helping someone in trouble, instead I got beaten,” Braman wrote. “It will haunt me the rest of my life.”

Legg said that at age 31, Muchanic has had nine adult arrests, had four probations and two paroles revoked and has been incarcerated a “good portion” of his adult life.

“It’s rare to see this level of criminality,” Legg said. “(Braman) was brutally targeted by these individuals.”

“This was not about addiction,” he continued. “This was a ‘score’ planned over days.”

The district attorney also said that the court had been lenient and provided Muchanic with several “breaks.”

“The system failed Mr. Braman, not Mr. Muchanic.”

The 20-year-olds,’ Hess and Brewer, were sentenced to serve nine to 18 months in the county jail, followed by five years probation for conspiracy – robbery. Hess was also sentenced serve a concurrent six to 18 months sentence for flight to avoid apprehension or prosecution.

Major was sentenced to serve eight to 16 months, followed by four years probation.