NY inmate who sparked 3-week manhunt gets more prison time

David Sweat apologized for the fear people felt during the manhunt.

During the sentencing, Sweat apologized to the community “for the fear and trauma” he caused.

He received a sentence of just that – 3 1/2 to 7 years, in Clinton County Court Wednesday morning.

Sweat already is serving a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole for a murder conviction.

Sweat and another inmate, Richard Matt, cut and crawled their way out of the maximum security prison last June.

In statements she gave to police, Mitchell detailed how she bought and delivered tools to the two men so they could break out of prison.

They were expecting to be picked up by Joyce Mitchell, a civilian supervisor who worked with Matt and Sweat in the prison tailor shop. Matt was shot and killed by officers while on the run. Sweat pleaded guilty in November to three charges. “That was never my intent and I deeply apologize for that, your Honor”, said Sweat. “I have no information from the Department of Corrections or from the Inspector General’s office that David Sweat ever filed a complaint about the way he was treated”.

Sweat is now at Five Points Correctional Facility, where he is expected to spend six years isolated in special housing, the prosecutor said.

“For acts, there are consequences”, Judge Patrick McGill told Sweat as he stood before him in a Clinton County courtroom.

Two Clinton Correctional employees were charged in connection with the escape.

Sweat will also have to pay restitution in the amount of over $79,000 for the damage in the facility he broke out of.

“This cold-blooded murderer exploited systemic lapses in Clinton Correctional Facility’s security procedures so he and another could escape last summer, terrorizing NY communities for weeks on end”, Leahy Scott said.