BALLSTON SPA — A Schenectady man was sentenced to 16 years in state prison in connection with a January shooting in Halfmoon.
Justin P. Wagner, 26, was sentenced Thursday by Judge James R. Davis in Saratoga County Court after pleading guilty March 18 to first-degree assault, a Class B violent felony.
Wagner admitted under oath that on the morning of Jan. 4 in Halfmoon he fired numerous rounds from an AR-15 rifle at another man, striking him in both the hand and lower leg.
Wagner had driven to Halfmoon that morning to confront the victim over a personal dispute and fired an illegal AR-15 that he had built within his Schenectady apartment, according to the Saratoga County District Attorney’s Office.
Members of the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office arrived almost immediately to the scene and applied two life-saving tourniquets to the injured man, who was rushed to Albany Medical Center.
Wagner fled the scene but was soon taken into custody without incident by law enforcement, who located the firearm inside his work van.
Wagner will also serve 2½ years of post-release supervision and was issued a full stay-away order of protection in favor of the victims that will remain in place until 2049.
