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Grandmother, parents waive hearing on child abuse charges

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Brooklyn man sentenced in Wilkes-Barre machete attack

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; A Pittston man who admitted to setting fire to an apartment building in Laflin while his father was sleeping inside has been sentenced in Luzerne County Court.</p><p>Vincent James Azat, 45, was accused by state police with setting a blaze in the kitchen and living room area on the first floor of 24 Main St. just after 4 a.m. on May 15, 2018.</p><p>Responding firefighters found heavy fire on the first-floor of the two-unit apartment building.</p><p>The first floor was vacant while Azat&#8217;s father, James Azat, then 73, was sleeping in a second-floor apartment. James Azat escaped without injury but a dog died in the blaze.</p><p>Azat stood behind the building while firefighters battled the blaze. While holding a butane lighter and a cordless drill, Azat approached a Laflin firefighter saying, &#8220;I&#8217;m sorry,&#8221; according to court records.</p><p>State police deputy fire marshal Karri Dodson determined the fire originated in the first-floor kitchen and living room area of the unoccupied apartment.</p><p>Azat pleaded guilty to arson, reckless burning and criminal mischief in March.</p><p>During his sentencing hearing before Judge Joseph F. Sklarosky Jr., Azat said, &#8220;I&#8217;m sorry for my actions.&#8221;</p><p>Sklarosky sentenced Azat to three-months to one year followed by four years probation.</p><p>Azat was told to report to the county correctional facility Wednesday by 9 a.m. to begin serving his sentence.</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/web1_Vincent-Azat-05162018.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Azat </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/web1_Vincent-Azat-05162018.jpg</photo0><caption0>Azat </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Ed Lewis</p><p>elewis@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div>

Wilkes-Barre man sentenced for setting Laflin fire