LOWVILLE, N.Y. (WWTI) - A 26-year-old Pennsylvania man is going to jail for 25 years after in convicted for causing his friend's death.
On Tuesday afternoon, Jacob Vanbergen was sentenced to 25 years in prison in Lewis County Court. He will also be under the supervision of probation for five years after his release from prison.
Pennsylvania man convicted of manslaughter in Lewis County
In June, Vanbergen was found guilty of first-degree manslaughter for the death of his friend, Brandon Shepker, in a Lewis County hotel room.
Prosecutors said that Vanbergen strangled Shepker at the River View Lodge near Lowville. This incident occurred on January 6, 2024. Both men were Pennsylvania.
Vanbergen was also originally charged with murder. However, he was found guilty of that charged, but he was convicted of manslaughter.
Lewis County District Attorney Jeffery Tompkins was pleased with the sentencing and commented that it “can’t make up for the loss of a loved one, but it’s satisfying to know the maximum penalty was given when applied to facts that clearly called for the longest sentence available under the law."
