An East Cocalico Township man was sentenced to 13 and a half to 40 years in state prison after he pleaded guilty this week to shooting a woman multiple times during an argument over custody of their child.

Judge Merrill Spahn sentenced Ezekiel Daniel Sanderful, 33, after he pleaded guilty June 10 to a single count each of attempted murder, aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of children.

Sanderful pointed a handgun at the victim and shot her multiple times as their 3-year-old daughter stood by him outside his residence in the first block of Reinholds Road in December 2024. When the victim fell to the ground Sanderful reloaded the weapon and shot her again.

The victim was shot multiple times in her head, torso and legs, suffering numerous broken bones, permanent loss of vision in one of her eyes and the loss of motor function in one of her arms.

Surrounded by her family and at times fighting through tears, the victim told the court she was “crying in agony and pleading for my life” when she heard the haunting sound of Sanderful stopping to reload the weapon. 

“You tried to violently execute me,” the victim told Sanderful. 

 Assistant District Attorney Jessica Collo, who prosecuted the case, told the court it was “truly a miracle” that the victim not only survived her extensive injuries but was able to attend Sanderful’s sentencing. Spahn agreed, telling Sanderful before imposing the sentence that “but for the grace of emergency medicine and the grace of God” he would be facing life in prison on a charge of first-degree murder.

Ever since the shooting the victim said she has been unable to comb her daughter’s hair, can no longer see out of her right eye and suffers permanent pain from the 19 bullet wounds she endured. The victim’s daughter, she said, suffers from nightmares from what she saw and must now grow up without her father.

But despite her injuries the victim said she had recently received her driver’s license and a job promotion and vowed to raise her daughter better without Sanderful. 

When given the opportunity to speak prior to his sentencing Sanderful apologized for harming the victim and said he hopes to one day make amends for his actions, saying he wants “to show other men that this isn’t the way.”

Sanderful had lured the victim to his residence under the guise of her coming to retrieve their daughter when he produced the gun and fired it multiple times. 

The girl was within arm’s reach of Sanderful when he fired the shots and witnessed her mother being shot in the face, she later told police. 

Police later recovered the semi-automatic pistol which was used in the shooting inside Sanderful’s home. 

As part of his sentence Sanderful must pay more than $2,000 in restitution, is prohibited from contacting the victim or their child and is not eligible to possess a firearm in the future. 

East Cocalico Township Police Det. Brandon Van Ausdal filed the charges.