A Philadelphia man who invaded a home in Abington last August, assaulting a 77-year-old woman in the process, was sentenced to five to 10 years in state prison, according to a phillyburbs.com story. 

Jeffrey Lopergolo, 20, of the 8800 block of Rising Sun Avenue, Philadelphia, pleaded guilty in July to robbery, conspiracy and burglary in connection with an Aug. 24 home invasion in the unit block of McFadden Drive in Abington, according to the story.

Lopergolo was on probation at the time of the robbery.

See the story on Abington Patch here.

Lopergolo waived his preliminary trial in November; his co-defendant, Anibal Pastor, 18, of the 12000 block of Rambler Road, Philadelphia, got to hear testimony from the complainant — a 77-year old woman.

According to the complainant, two men entered her house in the unit block of McFadden Drive through an open kitchen window and entered her second-floor bedroom. Both of the defendants were wearing bandanas around their faces and both were carrying 1-foot-long hatchets.

“The next thing I know, two young guys, young men, wearing bandanas, were in my bedroom,” the complainant said. “They said, ‘We came to get your money.’”

The victim said she was then sprayed with mace in her face and eyes four times “within touching distance.” According to the complainant, the defendants then ransacked the home, ultimately stealing jewelry, including two vintage watches, and four pistols.

The complainant went on to say that one of the defendants put her head under a pillow and then hit her in the head with an unknown object.

 “I was horrified,” the complainant said. “I was in my house and I was invaded. I didn’t know what they were going to do.”

In May 2010, Lopergolo was arrested for ethnic intimidation and related charges and pleaded guilty to conspiracy, attempted theft and simple assault in Philadelphia. On Feb. 1, 2011,he pleaded guilty and sentenced to five years’ probation. 

Lopergolo  was arrested again in December 2010 for robbery and pleaded guilty to robbery and conspiracy in July 2011. He was sentenced to three to 23 months in prison and three years’ probation— he was likely given credit for time-served.