A Tamaqua man will spend the next six to 12 years in state prison for shooting and wounding another man during an argument on Orwigsburg Street, Tamaqua, on Feb. 12, 2017.

Charles D. Heffelfinger Jr. was sentenced on charges of aggravated and simple assault and recklessly endangering another person.

After listening to testimony from the victim’s wife; from Heffelfinger; and from Heffelfinger’s girlfriend, sister and father; Schuylkill County President Judge William E. Baldwin sentenced Heffelfinger to five years and six months to 12 years on the aggravated assault charge; to six to 12 months on the first reckless endangerment charge to be served at the same time, and an additional six to 12 months on the second reckless endangerment charge, to be served after he completes the sentence for aggravated assault.

A charge of simple assault was merged with the aggravated assault charge.

Heffelfinger’s lawyer, public defender Kent D. Watkins, asked for the minimum sentence followed by a lengthy probation, saying Heffelfinger acknowledges he has a drinking problem, has no prior record, works and cares for his girlfriend and baby son. Plus, he said, the gun was licensed.

“The point is not the drinking. It’s the gun,” Baldwin said. “If you have a drinking problem, the last thing you should be doing is taking a gun to a bar.”

Special Deputy Attorney General Nathan L. Boob called for the maximum sentence of 20 years on the assault charge.

Heffelfinger told Baldwin he was “terribly sorry for what I did and what happened that night.”

He said he has since stopped drinking, and said he made a mistake.

“I promise you this was an isolated incident,” he said.

“You’re lucky you didn’t kill him,” Baldwin said. “It was more than a mistake. He could have never gone home again.”

Melissa Reidel, wife of the victim, Gary Reidel of Girardville, testified that her husband has healed from the gunshot wound, but the impact of the shooting will always be with him.

“It was a roller coaster of emotion. It was terrifying,” she said of the shooting.

Gary Reidel now suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, has nightmares and is in counseling.

Heffelfinger’s father said he was responsible for his son’s drinking problem.

“The alcoholism started with me,” he said.

His son, he said, “is a good kid, and he’ll pay for this mistake.”

Heffelfinger’s girlfriend, Lindsay Bradford, brought her 7-month-old son to the courtroom with her.

She described her boyfriend of two and a half years as a hard worker and caring father who stopped drinking after the shooting.

Heffelfinger’s sister, Tionna Heffelfinger, said her brother took care of her while their parents worked, and suggested family strife made him turn to alcohol.

“He’s not that bad of a guy. He made a bad choice,” she said.

A jury on Aug. 23 found Heffelfinger, 24, guilty of the charges, which stemmed from shooting Reidel during an argument on Orwigsburg Street.

Heffelfinger and his father had been drinking at a Tamaqua bar until about 1:30 a.m., when they were asked to leave.

Reidel, his wife and their friends, who live near the Heffelfingers, gave Heffelfinger Sr. a ride home.

An argument broke out over not also giving Heffelfinger Jr. a ride home.

Heffelfinger Jr., who was intoxicated and carrying his licensed handgun, fired twice, one bullet hitting Reidel in the lower back.