A Sharon man who pleaded guilty to making terroristic threats in connection with the October 2001 shooting death of Edward Boles of Sharon was sentenced to 18 months to three years in prison Wednesday before Mercer County Common Pleas justice Thomas R. Dobson.

Jody Gabriele, 41, of 352 Elm Ave., who entered a guilty plea to the misdemeanor charge, said that society "cannot understand the biker lifestyle."

"When my brother was gunned down like a dog, no one cared," Gabriele said, referring to Boles. "It was just one less biker scum."

Gabriele is a tattoo artist, motorcycle mechanic and a member of the Kingsmen Motorcycle club, based in Buffalo, according to a wedding announcement published Jan. 13, 2002 in The Herald.

Reading a prepared statement, Gabriele said he pleaded guilty to the charge to prevent Boles' family from "having to suffer through the ordeal of a trial."

"I loved him like a brother. You people probably wouldn't understand that," said Gabriele, who is serving time in the state prison at Albion for a previous conviction.

On Oct. 21, 2001, Gabriele and Boles, 39, forced their way into the back door of 145 N. Water Ave., Sharon, and began fighting with Michael Dushawn Harris, 24, of Chicago, police said.

Harris was hit with a baseball bat and Boles and Gabriele threatened to shoot him, police said.

During the fight, Harris got a .32-caliber, semi-automatic handgun from the residence and fired several times at Boles and Gabriele as they ran from the home.

Shortly after the fight, Boles was found near Bridge Place and North Irvine Avenue with a gunshot wound. He died later at the hospital of Sharon Regional Health System.

Harris was not charged in the incident. Police said he was acting in self defense. He is currently facing murder charges in Chicago.

Gabriele had tough words in his 30-minute statement for the Sharon Police Department, who he said contributed to Boles' death and still had in their possession naked pictures of his ex-wife. Assistant District Attorney Lorinda Hinch confirmed police had the pictures.

Dobson said that the photos of Gabriele's ex-wife should be returned to her because the pictures put her in a compromising position.

Gabriele also criticized media, who he said didn't "print the truth of what happened."

"The criminal justice system has forgotten what this is all about," Gabriele said. "This is about the death of my friend. Your society will never understand."

He continued, saying, "I want no part of your society. I want your society to leave me alone, to leave us alone to ride our motorcycles."