A Chester County man was sentenced last week to 14 to 28 years in state prison after he pleaded guilty last year to a string of thefts and related offenses that took place over a period of six months in 2020 and 2021.

Judge Thomas Sponaugle sentenced James Michael Steffy, of the 100 block of West Ridge Road, West Nottingham Township, on March 26. Additionally, Judge Sponaugle also sentenced Steffy to pay back more than $52,000 in restitution.

In handing down his sentence, Judge Sponaugle said the public “needs to be protected from Mr. Steffy,” who he described as “a horrible influence on the community.”

An attorney representing Steffy had asked the court to impose a more lenient sentence of eight to 10 years of incarceration, noting that Steffy had already spent three and a half years in prison as well as having suffered a “traumatic brain injury” in the January 2021 crash that ended the string of crimes that significantly decreased his quality of life.

But Assistant District Attorney Kyle Linardo, who prosecuted the case, urged Judge Sponaugle to impose a harsher sentence, arguing that eight to 10 years would be a “wholly insufficient” punishment considering the scale of the crimes Steffy committed. To illustrate his point, Linardo pointed to a large stack of files detailing the various offenses Steffy had pleaded guilty to.

Moreover, Linardo noted the violent nature of the January 2021 crash, noting that Steffy became “a motorized weapon hurling toward another citizen” and that the impact was so great that first responders “were shocked that the victim was still alive.” Linardo also read a statement from the victim of the crash, who described being unable to move or function on his own afterwards.

In the end, Steffy is alive today “because of the society that he thumbed his nose at” during his crime spree, Linardo told the court, highlighting the bravery and professionalism of the first responders who saved his life after the crash without regard for his culpability.

Speaking to the court prior to his sentencing, Steffy said he took responsibility for the injuries and financial burdens he caused the victims.

Steffy, 41, pleaded guilty Dec. 23 to a slew of theft-related and driving offenses that took place in Lancaster city, Conoy Township, Rapho Township, East Lampeter Township, Manheim Township and Pequea Township between August 2020 and January 2021. In total, Steffy pleaded guilty to 35 offenses including aggravated assault by vehicle while driving under the influence, driving under the influence, receiving stolen property, theft by unlawful taking, burglary, theft from a motor vehicle, criminal trespass and access device fraud, among others.

Steffy stole numerous cars, pickup trucks, trailers, box trucks, ATVs and other vehicles from businesses and commercial garages. Other stolen items included various tools and electronics including vacuum cleaners, jumper cables and car batteries stolen from inside businesses and vehicles.

In one case in September 2020 Steffy stole a log splitter from a property in the 2500 block of River Road in Bainbridge. Later that same month Steffy broke into a commercial garage in the 2500 block of Lebanon Road, Manheim Township, and stole two four-wheeler ATVs and various tools valued at more than $3,700. In another case, Steffy broke into a business in the 3100 block of Willow Street Pike South in Pequea Township in May 2020, stealing more than $3,000 worth of items. Steffy also used two credit cards stolen from that business to make more than $750 in illicit purchases.

The string of offenses came to an end in January 2021 when Steffy crashed a stolen vehicle head-on into another car in the 900 block of Roherstown Road in East Hempfield Township. Steffy, who was later determined to have fentanyl in his system at the time, seriously injured both himself and the driver of the other vehicle, who suffered a cracked sternum.

Officers Robert Burger of Pequea Township, Joshua Sandman of East Hempfield Township, Adam Dommel of Lancaster city, Lee Billiter of Manheim Township filed the charges.