Gun store owner unhappy with robbers' sentences

After hearing two of the three men who robbed his gun store sentenced to two years in prison today, John Ciesielski walked out of U.S. District Judge Alan N. Bloch's courtroom disappointed.

"I just think the sentence was light, entirely too light, for what they did," said Mr. Ciesielski, who runs the Jolar Inc. gun store in New Kensington. He said the three men, ages 18 and 19 at the time, stole 14 guns, for which he had paid $7,167, and promptly sold them on the street for pocket money, after which at least one was used in a shooting.

The defendants, all of whom lived close to the store, were described by their own attorneys as "a bunch of dropouts" and "knuckleheads." Their crime involved throwing a brick through the store window, turning a security camera, and tossing the guns into a car trunk.

Prosecutors said they sold the guns to a juvenile, and had asked another juvenile to conduct a diversionary shooting that never actually occurred.

In sentencing Nicolas J. Cox and Daniel T. Johnson to two years in prison, and Aaron M. Booker to 27 months, Judge Bloch rejected prosecution arguments that they deserved harsher sentences because they involved a juvenile in their plans. He also sentenced them at the low range of time recommended by federal sentencing guidelines.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ross E. Lenhardt noted that Mr. Booker had 10 prior arrests.

Mr. Ciesielski said that a 3-year-old girl was later shot in the foot with one of the guns.

He added that he's considering giving up the store he's run for 32 years.

The defendants were ordered to pay restitution calculated by the attorneys at around $8,400.

Rich Lord: rlord@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1542.

First published on March 16, 2011 at 5:26 pm