(Photo Source: Stephen Yang/The Cortland Voice).
A man accused of strangling a female victim accepted a plea offer in Cortland County Court on Tuesday.
Allen T. Osborn, of Freetown, pleaded guilty to attempted strangulation in county court. He will also accept a guilty plea of possession of a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle in city court on Tuesday.
According to a Cortland County Sheriff’s Office report, Osborn choked a female victim back on Jan. 10 (2023). According to court documents, Osborn used both of his hands to choke and apply pressure to the female victim’s throat and neck. This caused the victim to have “shortness of breath and then lose consciousness,” court docs stated. Court docs continued by saying the victim had “redness, soreness” to the throat and “trouble breathing.”
According to the county sheriff’s arrest report, the incident occurred on Hoxie Gorge Road in the town of Cortlandville. The report stated that Osborn had allegedly stolen a cell phone out of the victim’s hands, then proceeded to leave on the road and drive away.
Prior to accepting the plea, Osborn faced charges of second-degree strangulation and third-degree assault in Cortlandville; fourth-degree grand larceny in Freetown; and possession of a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle, third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, failure to stop at a stop sign and insufficient tail lights.
County judge David Alexander told Osborn in court on Tuesday that accepting the plea means Osborn will avoid jail time.
Osborn’s sentencing is scheduled at 10:30 a.m. May 28 at the county courthouse. Chief assistant district attorney Jessica Weyant read off the pre-grand jury offer in court, noting that the recommended sentencing is probation.
