A Kunkletown man was sentenced to a Carbon County prison term on May 18 on an assault charge.

Richard Allen Getz, 52, was sentenced by Judge Joseph J. Matika to serve six to 23 months in the county prison on charges of aggravated assault, a felony 2, escape, a felony 3, and resisting arrest, misdemeanor 2. Getz previously pleaded to the charges. In exchange of the plea the district attorney’s office dropped a felony 1 count of criminal attempt.

Getz was arrested on Oct. 9, 2019, when state police at Lehighton were dispatched to the residence in the area of 1700 Lower Smith Gap Road in Towamensing Township, for a report of a suspicious vehicle and a man at the residence.

The victim told police the suspicious person was pulling on several doorknobs.

Police said they later identified the man as Getz, who was taken into custody after a brief struggle with troopers.

Getz admitted to mental health problems and has since sought counseling and is currently on medication for his problems. He said the medication is helping and he is now able to return to work.

In addition to the prison term, Matika ordered Getz to get both mental health and drug and alcohol evaluations, supply a DNA sample, make restitution of $150 to the commonwealth for cleaning of a state police cruiser he damaged, pay court costs of about $1,000, pay a fine of $100 on a summary offense of criminal mischief and pay a $50 per month supervision fee while on parole.

He was given credit for five days already served and will begin serving his prison term at 10 a.m. on May 24. He was granted work-release privileges.