Apr 21, 2011 By Josh Krysak 3 min read

?A Uniontown teenager found guilty of riot and three other charges for his role in an alleged gang attack last year will be eligible for parole after receiving a sentence of 6 to 11 ½ months in prison Wednesday.

A Fayette County jury deliberated for about four hours earlier this month before finding Demond Wiggan, 17, not guilty of two counts of aggravated assault and one count each of conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, riot, criminal conspiracy to commit riot, possession of the instrument of a crime, simple assault and criminal conspiracy to commit disorderly conduct.

He was convicted of separate counts of simple assault, riot, reckless endangerment and disorderly conduct.

Uniontown police charged Wiggan as an adult for his role in an attack on Kevin Rich of Uniontown outside Rich’s home on Murray Avenue on May 10.

Rich, who was age 19 at the time of the attack, testified he was afraid for his life when between 20 and 30 men jumped him and another man outside his home.

Rich testified the men were members of an alleged gang called “Killa Squad,” and said he had difficulties with some of those men because he was pursuing a music career.

“He is a young man, only 17 years of age… and he’s never been charged with a crime before,” public defender Jeremy Davis said at Wiggan’s sentencing before Fayette County Judge John F. Wagner Jr. Wednesday. “Mr. Wiggan has learned from this situation.”

Wiggan also told the judge that he realized that he did something “very stupid” prior to Wagner imposing sentence against him.

According to Wagner, Wiggan will be given credit for time served and noted that he has been incarcerated in the Fayette County Prison for nearly a year, making him eligible for immediate parole.

During the trial April 4, Rich testified Wiggan came at him with a pocketknife, and he had to grab Wiggan’s arm to avoid being stabbed. When he got the blade from Wiggan, Rich testified, he started swinging it as about 10 men surrounded him.

Wiggan testified he sustained five stab wounds. Rich testified he had two cuts on his hand, and a dislocated shoulder from being beaten and stomped.

Wiggan told jurors that he was not among the men who came to Rich’s home, and testified that he watched the confrontation from his home nearby and went to Rich’s yard to help another man who was getting beaten up.

While Wiggan told jurors that Rich had the knife, Rich testified that Wiggan brought the knife when he charged into his yard with numerous other men, some of whom also had weapons.

Both men were treated at the hospital, and testimony at the trial was that Wiggan initially told police he got injured when he wrecked his dirt bike into a fence. Four days later, police said Wiggan told them he was afraid to tell them he went to Rich’s home to help someone because he feared Rich would harm him.

Wiggan and several others, alleged members of the “Killa Squad” gang, were charged in the assault.

Also charged in the attack as adults were: Kyle Bass, 16; Tre McCargo, 17; and Ramal Chisler, 17, all of Uniontown. Chisler also was charged as an adult in a criminal homicide case where he is accused of fatally shooting his on-again, off-again girlfriend last year.

Aaron Durkin, 18, of Uniontown also was charged in the alleged gang attack, but remains at large.