The Canandaigua man who pleaded guilty in March to a felony assault charge after Ontario County sheriff’s investigators said he injured another person with an axe has been sentenced.
Justin A. Rogers was sentenced May 14 in Ontario County Court before Judge Frederick G. Reed to 15 years in prison, followed by five years of post-release supervision.
Court records allege Rogers, 27, attacked a 53-year-old man during a fight inside a room at the D&D Motel in Canandaigua, striking him in the head with an axe and causing severe injuries to his scalp and neck. First responders found the injured man unresponsive with significant traumatic injuries, according to court records.
Rogers pleaded guilty to first-degree assault, a class B violent felony.
The sentence was part of a negotiated plea agreement involving discussions with the victim’s family and also includes the issuance of an order of protection, according to Ontario County District Attorney Jason A. MacBride.
“This sentence reflects the seriousness of the offense and the devastating impact this crime had on the victim andtheir loved ones,” MacBride said in a statement.
The case was prosecuted by First Assistant District Attorney James Nobles. The defendant was represented by Peter Chambers.
The sentencing brought emotional statements from both the victim’s family and the defendant himself, Nobles said in a prepared statement.
“While the defendant expressed remorse, the reality remains that the victim’s life has been permanently impacted by this violent act,” Nobles stated. “This sentence ensures accountability and brings finality to a deeply tragic case.”
Mike Murphy covers Canandaigua and other communities in Ontario County and writes the Eat, Drink and Be Murphy food and drink column. He can be reached at mmurphy@messengerpostmedia.com. Follow him on X at @MPN_MikeMurphy.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Canandaigua man sentenced to 15 years for axe attack
Reporting by Mike Murphy, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
