The man convicted of shooting a City of Erie police officer learned he will spend at least the next decade and a half in prison for the 2023 incident that left the officer seriously injured.
According to Chief Deputy District Attorney Jeremy Lightner, 29-year-old Patrick Gleba was sentenced to 15-30 years in state prison for shooting Erie Police Sgt. David Stucke in the leg back on July 30, 2023. Ligtner also said the DA’s office will object to Gleba being released on parole until he’s served 20 years of that sentence.
Gleba previously pleaded guilty to felony attempted homicide, aggravated assault and discharge of a firearm into an occupied structure in September in exchange for prosecutors dropping the 39 other counts against him. As part of that agreement, the Erie County DA’s Office suggested a 15-30 year sentence for Gleba.
Prior to the shooting, Erie police were called to the area for reports of shots fired and found broken glass and spent rifle casings in the driveway before forming a perimeter around the duplex, shining headlights from their patrol vehicles to illuminate the area in an attempt to locate a possible shooter or victim.
That’s when Gleba opened fire from behind his door and a ballistic bulletproof vest. Sgt. Stucke was hit in his leg and suffered serious bodily injury and required immediate life-saving aid. Four nearby buildings were also struck by gunfire and Stucke was released from the hospital after six days.
Gleba’s attorney argued that he didn’t know he was firing at officers at the time of the shooting, claiming he thought it was people trying to break in.
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