A Pennsylvania man convicted of pointing a loaded gun at four Bensalem residents who he mistakenly believed stole his motorcycle was sentenced Wednesday to five to ten years in state prison.
On January 26, Iridious Jones, 38, of Bristol Township, told Bristol Township Police that his motorcycle had been stolen from the parking lot of Levittown Trace Apartments, where he lived. The motorcycle had a GPS tracking device installed on it. Jones tracked it down to the 3200 block of Clive Avenue in Bensalem.
Police followed the GPS to where the motorcycle was supposed to be but were unable to find it.
After receiving the news from the police, Jones took matters into his own hands and forced his way into the home of a Bensalem couple who lived on Cline Avenue and demanded to know where his motorcycle was. He then grabbed the homeowner by his neck and repeatedly yelled, “Where is my motorcycle?”
After the homeowner told him he didn't have it, Jones pulled out his loaded semi-automatic handgun—which he was licensed to carry—and pointed it at the man and his girlfriend.
Jones then stole the woman's cellphone and confronted the man's neighbors, once again pointing a gun at them while demanding they give him his motorcycle. He then fled the scene.
Police later found Jones' motorcycle in the area and arrested a suspect. The residents Jones had threatened weren't involved in the theft however.
Local
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
Jones was also arrested and charged with robbery, burglary and simple assault. He pleaded guilty to the charges on May 31.
During his trial, Jones revealed that he takes mood-stabilizing medications, has been in therapy for bipolar disorder, and has attempted suicide twice.
With the assistance of his attorney, Jones’ family and friends appeared in court and admitted that despite being a hard-working man, Jones experienced episodes of anger. They stated that Jones was sexually abused as a child, removed from school for disruptive behavior, forced to leave the military for both suicidal and homicidal tendencies, lost his job of 10-years, and had been plagued by the successive thefts of two of his motorcycles, which is his only means of transportation.
A judge sentenced Jones to four consecutive 1-to-2 year sentences for simple assault, a consecutive 1-to-2 year sentence for robbery, and 10 years of consecutive probation. Stating that Jones should have gotten himself mental health treatment years ago, the judge subsequently recommended Jones be allowed to serve his sentence in a therapeutic prison community.
