SCRANTON — A Scranton man was sentenced Tuesday to up to 20 years in state prison for shooting his ex-girlfriend following the city’s St. Patrick’s Parade earlier this year.
Lackawanna County Judge Michael J. Barrasse sentenced Claude K. Harris, 28, of Olyphant, to a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of 20 years in prison.
In September, Harris pleaded guilty to felony counts of conspiracy to commit aggravated assault and possession of a firearm prohibited.
Investigators said Harris shot his ex-girlfriend from a vehicle as she stood in the midst of a group of people in the 1800 block of Lafayette Court. She was hit in the calf and later recovered.
At the time of the arrest, Harris was on Pennsylvania State Parole after a 2021 arrest and conviction of felony possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and possession of a firearm, police said.
That conviction prohibited him from owning a firearm.
District Attorney Brian J. Gallagher said the sentence reflects a firm stance against repeat violent offenders who continue to commit crimes while under court supervision.
“When individuals, like this defendant, who are already under court supervision, choose to arm themselves and commit violent crimes, we will seek the maximum sentences allowed by law,” Gallagher said in a statement. “The 10-to-20-year sentence imposed in this case reflects that commitment to accountability and public safety.”
The case was investigated by Detective Jason Hyler of the Scranton Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Danielle Guari of the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office .