A Farrell man found guilty of breaking into a house and choking a woman was sentenced to two years and three months to five and a half years in state prison by Judge Frances J. Fornelli in Mercer County Common Pleas court Wednesday.

McCray Roberson, 56, 1010 Darr Ave., was found guilty of aggravated assault, simple assault, reckless endangering another person, unlawful restraint, false imprisonment, criminal trespassing and resisting arrest.

Roberson broke into 629 Stambaugh Ave. in Farrell and broke into a locked bedroom, where Ruby Hyman was hiding, according to court documents.

He then grabbed her by the neck and dragged her down the hall into another room, Fornelli said at the hearing, and barred the door. Fornelli said it took several police officers to subdue the man when they tried to arrest him.

"The victim still fears attack," Fornelli told Roberson at the hearing. "She still sits fully dressed at night, ready to run, in case you should appear."

Roberson claimed in the pre-sentencing investigation the court treated him unfairly during his October criminal trial, saying he wasn't allowed to be present.

Fornelli told Roberson the reason he was not present at trial was because Roberson had chose not to be present at trial.

"You never heard my side of the story," Roberson said after he had been sentenced.

"That is because you chose not to give us that," Fornelli answered.

Roberson had prior convictions in four states dating back to 1967.

You can e-mail Herald Staff Writer Amanda Smith-Teutsch at: ateutsch@sharonherald.com