Monessen man pleads guilty for fight with police, gun and weapons charges

Aliziah Feliberty had no answer when asked by a county judge Monday morning if he understood just what could have happened when he resisted arrest following a scuffle with police last year in Monessen.

“What did you think you could have accomplished when you tried to disarm these two officers. Either you are going to get killed or these officers were going to get killed,” said Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Christopher Feliciani.

Feliberty, 22, of Monessen pleaded guilty to charges in three separate cases from the past three years, including two incidents where police said he illegally possessed weapons.

Prosecutors said Feliberty was not permitted to possess guns because of prior felony convictions as a juvenile when he lived in Florida.

According to court records, Feliberty was initially arrested following the search of a Jeannette home by the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Bureau of Narcotics and local police in September 2019 where drugs and guns were found. Police said a handgun was found in an upstairs trash can outside of a room Feliberty had just left.

In a second case, police said Feliberty fought with police after they attempted detain him following a domestic incident in October 2020. Police said Feliberty reached for what they believed to be a weapon in his waistband and fought with officers as they attempted to make an arrest.

Two officers sustained injuries when they were forced to take Feliberty to the ground during the scuffle.

The third case stemmed from a traffic stop in July 2011 in which police said a semi-automatic handgun and drugs were found in Feliberty’s vehicle.

Feliberty pleaded guilty to two felony counts of aggravated assault associated with the 2020 incident and weapons and drug offenses in connection the 2019 and 2021 cases.

According to court records, Feliberty previously served a six month probation sentence in Fayette County after he pleaded guilty to resisting arrest and fleeing from police following a high speed chase in 2020.

In the three Westmoreland County cases, the judge ordered Feliberty to serve four to eight years in prison and an additional two years on probation. Feliciani in July rejected a proposed plea deal that called for him to receive 2 1/2 to five years in prison.

“I can only pray you can make something more positive out of your life than you have up until now,” Feliciani said.