A Pottsville man must go to prison for providing false information when trying to buy a gun in October 2014, a Schuylkill County judge ruled Monday.
Brad A. Eiler, 34, must serve six to 12 months behind bars for unsworn falsification to authorities, President Judge William E. Baldwin decided.
“You falsified the application so you could get the gun,” Baldwin said before imposing the sentence.
Baldwin, who also ordered Eiler to pay costs, made the sentence effective at 9 a.m. May 16 in order to allow Eiler to arrange for care for his ailing mother, Patricia Krammes, while he is in prison.
Eiler pleaded guilty to unsworn falsification to authorities, with prosecutors withdrawing a charge of materially false written statement.
State police at Frackville had charged Eiler with providing the false information on Oct. 4, 2014, in Minersville.
By sending Eiler to prison, Baldwin rejected the request of Eiler and his lawyer, Assistant Public Defender Paul G. Domalakes, for house arrest with electronic monitoring so he could care for Krammes.
“I am willing to get help. I’m trying to get help,” Eiler testified.
He also said he was getting counseling and trying to control his drinking, although he said he has not stopped entirely.
“Alcohol is my major substance,” Eiler said.
However, Baldwin accepted the argument of First Assistant District Attorney John T. Fegley that Eiler should not remain free.
“I do think some jail time is appropriate,” Fegley said. “I don’t necessarily feel house arrest would be appropriate.”