UNIONTOWN - A Fayette County man will spend a minimum of six years in prison for his part in the death of his father in a drive-by shooting in February.
Robert Dale Cumberland Jr., of 118 Pittsburgh St., Uniontown, was sentenced by President Judge William J. Franks to 6 to 12 years incarceration after he pleaded guilty to the charge of criminal conspiracy to commit third-degree murder for his part in the shooting death of his father, Robert Dale Cumberland Sr., in the early morning hours of Feb. 4.
The elder Cumberland died at the Dawson residence of George Simon after an acquaintance of the younger Cumberland, 19-year-old Daniel Manchas of Uniontown, fired two shots from a rifle owned by the younger Cumberland into Simon's trailer. The first shot fired into the trailer struck Robert Dale Cumberland Sr. who was standing inside the residence's living room.
In accordance with a plea agreement from the Fayette County District Attorney's office, the charge of third-degree murder and six counts of aggravated assault and recklessly endangering another person will be nol prossed, or not prosecuted. Robert Dale Cumberland Jr.'s plea agreement is contingent upon his cooperation with the district attorney's office in its case against Manchas.
Manchas was found guilty in October of first-degree murder and related charges and sentenced to life in prison plus an additional 6 to 12 years. Police said that Simon, of Banning Road, Dawson, had cheated Manchas out of $20 during a cocaine buy and Manchas, angry over being ripped off, retaliated by going to Simon's house to cause a "bad scene."
During sentencing proceedings on Monday, Robert Cumberland Jr. did not address the court. He was represented by Uniontown attorney Melinda Dellarose.
Franks told the 20-year-old Cumberland that two matters weighed heavily in the court's decision to accept the plea agreement: Cumberland's lack of a prior record and his age.
"I hope you've learned from this experience and I never see you before us in this type of situation again," stated Franks, who also told Cumberland that criminal conspiracy was a felony offense and he was in need of correctional treatment.
In addition to his sentence, Cumberland must pay court and prosecution costs, fines and make restitution in the amount of $2,930 to the Crime Victims Compensation Fund in the name of Robert Dale Cumberland Sr.
During Manchas' trial last month, Cumberland Jr. testified that Manchas came to his apartment in the late hours of Feb. 3, alleging that Simon and the elder Cumberland had cheated him out of money. Manchas asked the younger Cumberland to give him a rifle and drive him out to Simon's residence under the premise that Manchas was going to shoot dogs that were kept outside.
Cumberland Jr. did accompany Manchas to Simon's trailer in the early morning hours of Feb. 4 but Manchas fired shots into the residence, instead.
Cumberland Jr. was taken to the Western Diagnostic Classification Center in Pittsburgh to begin his sentence.
