Man Sentenced To Prison For Bloody Tahlequah Burglary Attack

A Cherokee County judge sentenced a Tulsa man to 35 years in prison with five years suspended Monday for cutting and biting a Tahlequah homeowner when she confronted him during a burglary in 2013.

Tuesday, July 15th 2014, 1:56 pm

By: News On 6

Man Sentenced To Prison For Bloody Tahlequah Burglary Attack

A Cherokee County judge sentenced a Tulsa man to 35 years in prison with five years suspended Monday for cutting and biting a Tahlequah homeowner when she confronted him during a burglary in 2013.

Curtis Coleman, 54, entered a blind plea in May to charges of second-degree burglary and assault and battery following his arrest in September 2013.

Tahlequah Police said the victim and her son came home to find Coleman stealing their entertainment system. In a struggle with Coleman, the victim’s hand was cut with a serrated kitchen knife. He also bit the victim in the arm several times.

?9/25/2013 Related Story: Tahlequah Mother-Son Duo Fend Off Burglar In Bloody Fight?

Police found Coleman hiding in the attic of a nearby apartment complex.

District Attorney Brian Kuester said DNA from blood found at that crime scene linked Coleman to an August 2013 Tahlequah burglary in which numerous firearms, jewelry and prescription drugs were stolen.

In May, Coleman waived his right to a jury trial in both cases.