Jury convicts brother, acquits sister in New Kensington Easter Egg hunt assault

A Westmoreland County jury acquitted a New Kensington woman but convicted her older brother of the assault against of an autistic teen during a neighborhood Easter egg hunt.

Stacey Oneal Jr., 36, of New Kensington was found guilty of a felony count of aggravated assault and misdemeanor simple assault and reckless endangerment offenses in connection with the April 9, 2023, confrontation with 17-year-old Logan Bashioum in front of a Seventh Street Extension home.

Prosecutors said Oneal and another man repeatedly stomped and punched the teen during the assault, which was recorded on a neighbor’s security camera and played for jurors during the trial.

Stacey Oneal was acquitted of one felony count of conspiracy.

Oneal’s sister, Krystae Oneal, 33, was charged as an accomplice in the teen’s beating and for an alleged earlier physical confrontation with the boy’s mother.

She was found not guilty of aggravated assault, conspiracy, reckless endangerment, simple assault and trespassing.

“I think the jury reached the appropriate verdict in this case,” said Krystae Oneal’s lawyer, Jackie Shaw. “My client has maintained her innocence from the beginning of this case and she’s happy to see that justice prevails.”

Krystae Oneal testified in her own defense that she believed the teen stole marijuana and money from her and that he and his mother initiated a prior physical altercation when she attempted to confront them about the allegation.

Bashioum, while testifying on Thursday, denied Oneal’s allegations.

Shaw argued prosecutors could not prove that Krystae Oneal directed her brother and a friend to assault the teen and that the video of the incident provided evidence she was not directly involved in the physical confrontation with Bashioum.

Defense attorney Andrew Skala argued Stacey Oneal’s actions on the video were misinterpreted by prosecutors and did not prove the teen sustained serious bodily injury, which is a required element necessary to convict his client of the charges. Stacey Oneal did not testify during the three-day trial.

Skala said his client’s conviction will be appealed.

Prosecutors argued the video was proof of Stacey Oneal’s involvement in the attack and that his sister should be convicted as an accomplice. Assistant District Attorney Katie Ranker Ellwood told jurors that Krystae Oneal directed her brother and friend to assault the teen in retaliation for the theft and prior physical confrontation.

“Krystae wanted Logan to be beat up. She encouraged her brother and friend to beat him up,” Ellwood said during her closing argument to the jury. “I can’t imagine a more serious way to attempt to injure or kill a person than to stomp on their head.”

Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Scott Mears revoked Stacey Oneal’s $75,000 bond and ordered he be detained until he is sentenced in about three months.

Deron Hinton, 36, of Greensburg, pleaded guilty in April to aggravated assault and conspiracy in connection with the teen’s assault. He was sentenced to serve 5 to 10 years in prison.