Boo Henry. (Photo/Conrad Baker)
LIVINGSTON COUNTY – The Mount Morris man who led about 70 members of law enforcement on a week-long manhunt in the summer of 2015 was sentenced to state prison on Thursday.
Richard ‘Boo’ Henry, 36, was sentenced to 6 years in prison and 5 years of parole for felony Assault in the Second Degree. He pled guilty to that charge on Jan. 28, 2016, admitting that he took off when a New York State Parole Officer and a Livingston County Deputy Sheriff tried to take him into custody for a parole violation and that the Deputy badly injured his knee while trying to get over a fence in pursuit.
“I apologize for what took place that day,” said Henry at sentencing. “I never intended for anyone to get hurt. It was a really bad decision on my part. I had a panic attack.”
Henry was on parole on that day following his release from Wyoming Correctional Facility in January 2015 for Burglary in the Second Degree.
Henry’s attorney, Eric Smith, said that Henry takes full responsibility for his actions and advocated for a lesser sentence.
“My client has taken full responsibility for his actions,” said Smith. “He suffers from chronic Suboxone and Xanax use. […] A prison sentence is just not fair in this case. I ask that you consider a lesser sentence.”
Assistant District Attorney Justin Hill, who prosecuted the case, said that the sentence was appropriate and reflects the severe consequences of Henry’s decision to run from law enforcement.
“Our District Attorney, Greg McCaffrey, has made it very clear that if you injure a Deputy in this county, you will go to prison for a significant amount of time,” said Hill. “He endangered not only the Deputy he injured but every member of law enforcement who was involved in the manhunt.”
Judge Dennis Cohen went along with Hill’s recommended sentence.
“You say you take responsibility for this, but as we’ve seen, whenever you’re in trouble you are extremely irresponsible,” Judge Cohen told Henry. “There’s a pattern here of past offenses, including burglary. I guess I can ask you, was any of it worth it? Whether it’s a panic attack or whatever you claim happened, this is what can happen to our society when you do this.”
Henry has an extensive criminal background, which includes past convictions for Assault in the Third Degree, Attempted Burglary in the Second Degree, and Aggravated Harassment.
At trial, he would have faced 7 years in prison if convicted.
Henry was found with his girlfriend, Shannon Goodwin, in her Jeep in the woods on Harpers Ferry Road at Carney Hollow Road. She and Henry’s mother were charged with Hindering Prosecution.
Goodwin and Pragle have both since made bail.
Boo Henry. (Photo/Conrad Baker)