Herminie man pleads guilty to finger gun threat

A Herminie man pleaded guilty Monday to allegations he made a gun-pointing gesture with his fingers at potential witnesses during a court hearing last year.

Michael Wichelmann, 60, was sentenced to up to 23 months in jail in connection to the July 7, 2022, incident in a Westmoreland County courtroom. Wichelmann had appeared in court for a hearing on a prosecutor’s request to revoke his bond in connection with allegations that he assaulted family members at a North Huntingdon home in 2021.

Prosecutors said, during the hearing, Wichelmann turned toward his accusers and used his fingers to simulate shooting a gun and mouthed the words “bang bang.”

He pleaded guilty to a felony count of witness intimidation and a misdemeanor harassment count and was sentenced by county Common Pleas Judge Christopher Feliciani. Wichelmann was paroled after he was given credit for the 303 days he has served in jail.

In May 2022, Wichelmann was sentenced to three years of probation in connection with the North Huntingdon incident and, according to court records, is awaiting trial on assault allegations related to another case filed against him last year.