Nesquehoning man given prison term for assaulting his neighbor

A Nesquehoning man was given a county prison term on Friday after he admitted assaulting his neighbor.

Andrew Gambino, 42, was sentenced by Judge Joseph J. Matika to serve eight to 23 months in prison on a charge of simple assault. Gambino previously pleaded to the charge in exchange for the district attorney’s office dropping a more serious count of aggravated assault.

Gambino was charged by borough police on July 7, 2017, for assaulting his female neighbor during a dispute. The woman sustained serious injuries that required medical attention.

Gambino had requested placement in the county’s Intermediate Punishment Program, house arrest. However, the adult probation office said he was not a good candidate for the program and recommended he not be placed in it. Matika agreed with the recommendation. A request for serving the prison term on weekends was also denied by Matika.

Assistant District Attorney Brian Gazo, who prosecuted the case, said the original plea agreement had called for a minimum six-month prison term, but updated sentencing guidelines put the minimum term at nine months.

Matika said he heard no words of remorse from Gambino for what he did to the victim, who is considerably smaller than him. Matika also said he had to consider the serious injuries suffered by the victim, who submitted a letter to the court before the sentencing. The letter was not read in court.

In addition to the prison term, Gambino was ordered to render 100 hours of community service when paroled, make restitution for medical bills of $5,448.85, get a mental health evaluation and follow any recommendation for treatment, pay court costs of about $1,000, pay a $50 per month supervision fee while on parole and have no contact with the victim.

He began the prison term immediately.