Shawn Christy, the Schuylkill County man who made an online threat against President Donald Trump, and evaded capture by federal agents for more than three months, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.

On Thursday, a U.S. District Court Judge ordered Christy, 28, formerly of McAdoo, to serve a total of 240 months in a federal penitentiary for his crime spree which spanned three months during the summer of 2018, and seven states.

Judge Robert D. Mariani said he struggled to understand how Christy went from missing a court date in an assault case in Schuylkill County Court to becoming an armed fugitive who led federal agents on a multistate manhunt, threatening to “wage war” on any officer who attempted to arrest him.

“This got started because you didn’t show up in court for a simple, relatively minor criminal infraction. Then you let it get out of hand. You got out of hand,” Mariani said.

In a trial last November, Christy was convicted on 12 counts, including threats against the president, transporting stolen vehicles across state lines, and transporting stolen weapons across state lines while wanted on a felony. He was found guilty of stealing vehicles from two separate Hazleton-area businesses, and two guns from his uncle’s house outside of Hazleton.

Shortly after he became a fugitive in June 2018, Christy, on Facebook, threatened to kill Trump and Morganelli.

“Keep it up Morganelli, I promise I’ll put a bullet in your head as soon as I put one in the head of President Donald J. Trump,” his post read.

Christy evaded federal custody for 95 days in the summer of 2018. He broke into a church, two homes and multiple businesses. He was captured Sept. 21 of that year.

During the manhunt, the Secret Service was on alert for Christy during two events Trump attended in eastern Pennsylvania. Morganelli added a security detail at his home.

Mariani said he also took Christy’s threats seriously. He said the threats became more serious when Christy stole weapons which gave him the ability to carry them out.

“You painted a picture of a man to be feared. I don’t know if it’s the picture you set out to paint, but it’s the picture you painted,” Mariani said.

During Thursday’s hearing, Christy represented himself, as he did during his federal trial. He brought up several concerns with the presentencing report, which were all overruled.

Christy told Mariani that he has respect for the law, but he became a fugitive because he feared that he was being unfairly targeted by local and state authorities.

“I felt like I was a victim of law enforcement,” Christy said.

He admitted that he was not confident in his ability to represent himself in federal court, despite having some success representing himself in state courts. He said he probably should have accepted a plea deal in the case, but also didn’t recall being offered one.

Christy called only three witnesses: his father, mother and Jessica Eckert, a close friend who he met shortly after his capture.

Prosecutors called more than 20 witnesses, including FBI agents, U.S. Marshals, Secret Service Agents, and Medal of Honor recipient Dakota Meyer, who owned a home that was burglarized by Christy during his crime spree.

At one point during the trial, Christy briefly took the stand himself, but then decided he would invoke his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. During his testimony, he denied making the online threats against Trump and Morganelli.

During sentencing, Christy’s mother, Mary Karen Christy, and Eckert spoke. Mary Karen Christy asked Mariani to show leniency because of untreated medical issues which have influenced his behavior. She said Christy has medical conditions including arachnoid cysts, Lyme disease, and a previous seizure, which all have an effect on cognitive function and behavior.

Mariani said that while Christy has been identified as having personality disorders, he has never been diagnosed with a mental health condition, and was found to be competent to stand trial.

He considered other factors like Christy’s previous 2012 federal conviction for making harassing phone calls to a law firm which represented former Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

Prosecutors recommended a sentence of 262-320 months, and a fine of $40,000-$45,000, based on federal sentencing guidelines and Christy’s prior criminal history.

U.S. Attorney Francis Sempa said the sentence must be sufficient, but no greater, and must also protect the public.

Mariani said he would go slightly under the recommended sentence. He did not impose a fine.

He said Christy should be sent to the Federal Correctional Complex at Butner, North Carolina, home of the largest medical facility in the federal prison system, and receive mental health evaluation and treatment.

Upon his release from federal prison, Christy will serve three years on federal probation. He must also pay restitution of $18,290 to two businesses which he broke into near Hazleton, Skitco Iron Works and Rohrer Bus Company.

“I regard you as a tragic figure. I don’t understand. I can’t conceive of the things you did,” Mariani told Christy.

After his capture by U.S. Marshals, Christy faced trial in the Schuylkill County assault case which caused him to become a fugitive. He was sentenced last December to 12-24 months, with credit for 336 days time served.