Foster Township Man Sentenced to 13 Years for Assault and Burglary
McKean County District Attorney Stephanie Vettenburg‑Shaffer announced that Matthew Luke, a resident of Lafferty Hollow in Foster Township, has been sentenced to state prison for aggravated assault, burglary and several related offenses.
Luke appeared before Judge Robert Yeatts on November 10, 2026 at the McKean County Courthouse for a plea conference and sentencing hearing. He entered a guilty plea to a series of charges stemming from a violent incident that occurred on December 6, 2025.
On that night, Pennsylvania State Police were dispatched to a home on Route 646 in Keating Township after reports of gunfire and an assault inside the residence. Lead investigator Corporal Sierra Rooke determined that Luke had entered the home of his former girlfriend without permission. While inside, he struck her in the face with a firearm, causing bodily injury and property damage. When a friend of the victim tried to flee in a vehicle, Luke fired at the car, striking it and causing the driver to lose control and crash into a ditch.
Corporal Rooke and additional officers from the Pennsylvania State Police‑Lewis Run barracks located Luke and placed him under arrest. He subsequently pleaded guilty to burglary of an occupied residence (Felony 1), simple assault with a deadly‑weapon enhancement (misdemeanor 2), propulsion of missiles into an occupied structure or vehicle (misdemeanor 1), and aggravated assault with a deadly‑weapon enhancement.
Judge Yeatts sentenced Luke to a term of 80 to 160 months in state prison, followed by one year of re‑entry supervision. The court ruled that Luke is ineligible for early parole, ordered him to have no contact with the victims or their families, and mandated restitution payments to the victims, the State Police, and all associated crime‑lab fees.
This case underscores the seriousness with which Pennsylvania courts treat domestic‑violence‑related offenses, especially when firearms are involved. The lengthy prison term and strict post‑release conditions reflect a broader effort to deter similar violent conduct and protect victims in the region.
