YORK, Pa. (AP) - A man accused of planning to “go to war” with state troopers in central Pennsylvania has been sentenced to decades in prison.
Fifty-seven-year-old Howard Cofflin Jr. was sentenced Wednesday in York County to 36 years, four months to 72 years, eight months.
Cofflin was convicted of attempted first-degree murder and terrorism. Authorities said he was upset by a protective order and threatened in 2015 to cut off his ex-girlfriend’s head with an ax, then kill state troopers and county judges.
People were interested in these podcasts
Cofflin’s defense attorney contacted police to warn them that his client had body armor and was building a rifle. Troopers say he built bombs from propane tanks, searched “how to kill a state trooper” on his phone, and studied the habits of troopers stationed near his former home in Loganville.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.