Chester County man faces assault, weapons charges after Halloween gun incident

CHESTER COUNTY — A Chester County man appeared in general sessions court Thursday on charges of aggravated assault and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon after being accused of pointing a gun at a group of teenagers on Halloween night.

Jason Stanley appeared for a preliminary hearing in the case.

Witnesses describe Halloween night incident

Three witnesses were called to the stand during the preliminary hearing, including two individuals involved in the incident and an investigator with the Chester County Sheriff’s Office.

One witness testified that he and five friends went to Stanley’s house with the intention of playing a Halloween prank involving toilet paper. He said he did not know Stanley personally and that the house was chosen because they were driving past it on the road.

According to his testimony, the group arrived and began walking toward Stanley’s home when they heard a gunshot. The group ran back to their vehicles, and when the witness turned on his truck, Stanley was standing with a gun pointed at his windshield.

The witness further testified that Stanley ordered the group out of their vehicles and onto the ground, where he held a gun to the witness’s head.

During cross-examination, Stanley’s defense attorney questioned the witness, who admitted to wearing a ski mask the night of the incident. The witness also said he believes he never stepped foot on Stanley’s yard.

A second witness from the group testified that he heard gunshots and saw Stanley holding a gun, and that Stanley was pointing the weapon at individuals on the ground.

Investigator cites inconsistencies in Stanley’s account

An investigator with the Chester County Sheriff’s Office testified that when Stanley originally spoke with responding deputies, he said he had the gun with him the entire time he spoke to the teenagers. The investigator said that when he spoke with Stanley a few days later, Stanley’s account changed. In the second account, Stanley said he left the gun on the doorstep when he addressed the group.

After all testimonies were heard, the court found probable cause in the case.

According to court documents, Stanley’s case will go before the Chester County grand jury. He was released in lieu of a $50,000 bond. Stanley’s next court date has not been set.

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