Former Unity group home resident pleads guilty in scissors attack

A former resident at a Latrobe-area juvenile group home pleaded guilty Monday to a charge that he slashed a fellow inmate six times with a scissors during a violent confrontation.

Omar Hernandez-Vallejo, 18, told a Westmoreland County judge he was defending himself during the Feb. 20 confrontation.

“I feel that what I did was wrong. Even though I did it in self defense, it was excessive,” Hernandez-Vallejo said.

Prosecutors dismissed a charge of simple assault before Hernandez-Vallejo was sentenced by Judge Tim Krieger to serve 9 to 23 months in jail. Hernandez-Vallejo has been in jail since his arrest in February.

Police said an argument that turned violent between Hernandez-Vallejo and another resident at the Adelphoi Village Saxman House facility in Unity left both men injured. According to court records, the argument involved rumors about both men’s juvenile criminal record.

Investigators said the second man initially brandished scissors before Hernandez-Vallejo took them and slashed the man’s chest, lower abdomen, left arm and upper back.

Hernandez-Vallejo sustained a laceration to his right hand that took seven stitches to close and facial abrasions, according to court records.

The other man originally was charged with aggravated assault, simple assault and harassment. According to court records, prosecutors withdrew those charges in April.