Couple pleads guilty in gun domestic incident in Lansford

A Lansford couple, who were involved in a domestic dispute in which shots were fired, entered guilty pleas on Monday in Carbon County court before Judge Joseph J. Matika.

Gregory J. Sabol, 36, now of Tamaqua, pleaded to one count of simple assault — mutual consent, which was added to the original complaint. Shannon Sabol, 36, of Lansford, also pleaded to simple assault — physical menace. Both pleas were part of plea bargains with the district attorney’s office.

Shannon Sabol got a significant break in her plea bargain as a charge of criminal attempt — homicide, was dropped. Counts of aggravated and simple assault and recklessly endangering another person were also dropped. The criminal attempt count was a felony one.

Gregory Sabol had two other counts of simple assault and strangulation — applying pressure to the throat or neck — dropped in the plea bargain.

Lansford police charged the two following an incident on May 2, 2017. Police charged that Shannon Sabol fired shots at her husband during the incident in the 600 block of East Patterson Street.

Officers were called to the residence around 5 p.m. Upon arrival Gregory Sabol told police Shannon was upset he talked to another woman on the internet and told him to leave the house.

According to Lansford Detective Joshua Tom, Shannon went upstairs to the master bedroom and came back with a loaded 9 mm Hi-Point handgun and fired twice toward her husband, who was standing at the base of the stairs.

Shannon admitted to shooting one round before putting the gun back in a lock box and going to a neighbor’s residence.

Before firing the shot, she had taken her children to the neighbor’s house so they did not hear the couple fighting, according to an affidavit of probable cause.

The verbal argument turned physical, Shannon told police, when Gregory slapped her in the face, knocking off her glasses.

While looking for her glasses, she said Gregory choked her from behind to the point where she nearly passed out.

Police said Shannon did have fresh marks and scratches on the right side of her neck and arm.

Gregory Sabol told Matika that he and his wife are separated but no divorce action has been filed. He also said he recently completed an anger management course.

Matika placed him on probation for a year and ordered him to render 50 hours of community service.

Shannon Sabol was going to plead to a charge of simple assault that was added to the original complaint with a deadly weapon enhancement. However, after discussions between Assistant District Attorney Joseph D. Perilli and defense counsel attorney Gail N. Marr, she pleaded to one of the original simple assault counts, with no mention of a deadly weapon enhancement.

She told Matika she has custody of the couple’s two children.

Matika sentenced her to serve 30 days to 12 months in prison with credit for 36 days already served and paroled her. She was also ordered to render 50 hours of community service.

Both defendants must also pay court costs of about $1,000 and a $50 per month supervision fee while on probation or parole.