Latrobe man sentenced in 2021 assault case

A guilty plea was entered Thursday by a Latrobe man in connection with a domestic assault, a year after a mistrial was declared when a juror communicated with another about the case via Facebook.

Glenn James Whittier, 53, pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment and simple assault. He was sentenced Thursday to time served to 23 months in jail plus one year of probation, according to a sentencing order. Court records indicate he spent a little more than 16 months in jail on $25,000 bail after his arrest.

Jurors were prepped to begin deliberations in the case against Whittier in June 2023 when officials learned of the social media communication.

Prosecutors claimed Whittier assaulted and choked a 63-year-old woman in a Greensburg apartment in January 2021 as she attempted to break off their romantic relationship. Whittier denied the allegations.

Prosecutors dismissed charges of aggravated assault, strangulation, unlawful restraint, terroristic threats and harassment. Whittier was ordered to complete an anger management course.

He previously was sentenced to two and a half to five years in prison in connection with a 2015 attack on a former girlfriend in Latrobe. According to court records, Whittier was paroled from prison in that case in January 2019.