Subject of June manhunt released to group home

By Matt Snyder
Herald Staff Writer

SHARON March 25, 2008 10:32 pm

— Nine months after he was subject of a police manhunt, Benjamin Pietrantonio was sentenced to time served for brandishing a handgun at six teens and released to a group home where he’ll be under 24-hour supervision.
Pietrantonio, 20, given a two to seven month sentence Tuesday, was paroled by Mercer County Common Pleas Judge John C. Reed. He was also ordered to serve five years’ probation.
He pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment and terroristic threats on Jan. 6.
Pietrantonio is mentally retarded and currently lives in a group home in Hermitage, said his defense attorney, Dana Flick.
Sharon police said a Sharon woman gave Pietrantonio a .38-caliber revolver to protect himself against six teens who had picked on him. She allegedly told him the gun was stolen, to obliterate the serial number and not say where the gun came from if he was caught.
After Pietrantonio showed the teens the gun on June 15, Sharon police were called and combed a city neighborhood until they found him about 4 hours later.
Flick said his client understands that brandishing the gun was “incredibly stupid.”
Reed told Pietrantonio to stay away from the woman who gave him the gun. “I don’t want you seeing her. I don’t want you talking to her. Because she got you into a lot of trouble.”
The woman was not charged.
Pietrantonio is under 24-hour supervision at his group home and asked that it be lifted since it makes it hard for him to visit his child.
Reed denied the request. He said for the time being Pietrantonio might get into trouble.