GOSHEN – A Pocono Summit, PA man was convicted by an Orange County Court jury for crimes related to his having forced a car being driven by his former girlfriend off I-84, and then for conspiring to have her killed when he was in the Orange County Jail.
Anthony DiValentino, 59, was convicted on Friday of attempted assault, three counts of intimidating a victim or witness, criminal mischief, aggravated criminal contempt, criminal contempt and criminal solicitation.
It was alleged that on June 14, 2010, while DiValentino was driving on I-84, he intentionally struck a vehicle being driven by his former girlfriend, forcing her off the road. The victim’s car came to rest after hitting trees in an embankment off the highway in the Town of Greenville.
She was treated at Bon Secours Community Hospital in Port Jervis.
DiValentino had been released from a jail in Monroe County, PA several says before the incident. He had been incarcerated there on domestic violence charges involving the same victim.
The victim had received an order of protection in April 2010 in Monroe County, PA, which ordered him to stay away from her.
An Orange County grand jury charged DiValentino with crimes including assault, criminal mischief, and aggravated criminal contempt.
While he was in the Orange County Jail awaiting trial on those charges, he conspired with a fellow inmate to hire someone to kill his former girlfriend, presumably to prevent her from testifying. He also provided the other inmate with personal information of the victim including her garage code and alarm system information as well as her daughter’s school schedule and bus stop.
He was indicted on charges of conspiracy and criminal solicitation.
DiValentino faces up to 8 1/3 to 25 years in state prison for the conviction of conspiracy and up to 15 years for attempted assault. Both of those sentences could run consecutively.
Sentencing is expected in late March.
