St. John sentenced to 60 months to 25 years in Woodward Township shooting death

LOCK HAVEN, PA – Clinton County President Judge Craig Miller on Tuesday imposed a sentence of 60 months to 25 years in state prison on Brian St. John III, the Woodward Township young man who last month entered a guilty plea to charges of aggravated assault, a first-degree felony, and a misdemeanor charge of involuntary manslaughter.

The Court imposed a 51 month to 20 year sentence, plus a $5,000 fine, on the aggravated assault guilty plea and 9 months to 5 years on the involuntary manslaughter plea, to be served consecutively.

St. John has been in custody at the Clinton County Correctional Facility since the night of the fatal shooting on Feb. 26, 2021, at St. John’s residence, accused of fatally shooting Jakob Lee Haines, 21, of Beech Creek during a gathering at the St. John home in Woodward Twp. The defendant sat quietly as Judge Miller imposed the sentence in a courtroom filled to near capacity. There was no reaction from the families and friends of the defendant or the victim during the course of the 90-minute proceeding.

Multiple members of both families offered testimony at the outset. Speakers included St. John who said the events happened “because of what I did.” He apologized to the Haines family and “especially to Jake for what I did.”

St. John family members talked of subsequently regularly visiting the Jakob Haines grave site and placing flowers and described the defendant as “heart-broken” and remorseful over the incident. Haines family members spoke of the void in their lives over their loss and one, Kyliea Yerger, the victim’s girlfriend, said St. John showed no remorse after the fatal shooting occurred.

St. John has ten days to file an appeal on the sentence.