Lansdale man sentenced to probation for pistol-whipping teen outside Oakwood Gardens

A Lansdale man has been sentenced to probation for pistol-whipping a teen outside of Oakwood Gardens during the Saint Stan’s Carnival last summer.

As part of a plea agreement with prosecutors, 20-year-old Aaron Simpson-Harris Jr. has been sentenced to two years’ probation after pleading guilty to one misdemeanor count of simple assault. Felony charges of aggravated assault and firearms not to be carried without a license, along with misdemeanor counts of harassment, possession of an instrument of crime, reckless endangerment, possession of a controlled substance, and related offenses were dropped in exchange for Simpson-Harris’ plea, court records show.

Sentencing notes state Simpson-Harris is prohibited from having contact with the victim, and he was also ordered to stay away from Saint Stan’s Carnival.

“The court performed an individualized assessment and determines that the conditions imposed herein are necessary and constitute the least restrictive means available to promote the defendant’s rehabilitation and the public’s protection,” reads a portion of the sentencing notes.

According to court documents, Lansdale Borough Police were dispatched to the 400 block of East Third Street at 9:14 p.m. on Aug. 11, 2023 for a report of a fight in progress as well as a report of a male carrying a firearm. Upon arrival, police spoke with 19-year-old Aaron Simpson-Harris Jr., who told police that someone had been pistol whipped and ran towards Penndale Middle School, police said.

The report states police observed blood stains on Simpson-Harris’ white hoodie, however Simpson-Harris allegedly claimed the blood landed on his shirt after his friend had a seizure on the ground.

One week later, a juvenile victim came forward stating he had been pistol whipped during a large fight that had occurred in front of the Oakwood Park Apartments. The victim told police he had been standing with friends when a group of approximately 10 people approached them, including a man matching the description of Simpson-Harris, who pointed a gun at the victim and said, "Don’t make me use this,” according to charging documents.

Simpson-Harris then allegedly struck the victim in the side of the head with his handgun, police said, causing an open wound with a large amount of bleeding.

The victim later selected Simpson-Harris from a photo lineup, stating he was 80% sure it was the same person, police said. The report also notes a witness later came forward providing a description that matched what Simpson-Harris was wearing when he spoke to police on the night of the fight.

On Aug. 31, 2023 investigators executed a search warrant on Simpson-Harris’ home along the 200 block of East Third Street and allegedly located a 9mm ghost gun with a flashlight and laser attached in Simpson-Harris’ bedroom, police said. Police also located various amounts of psilocybin mushrooms, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia in the bedroom, according to the complaint.

As a result of the investigation, Simpson-Harris was charged with felony counts of aggravated assault with extreme indifference and firearms not to be carried without a license, along with misdemeanor counts of simple assault, possession of an instrument of crime, reckless endangerment, and possession of a controlled substance.

The assault was the second such incident in three years to occur at Oakwood Gardens while the Saint Stan’s Summer Festival was occurring.

On Aug. 10, 2021, then 16-year-old Marquis Smith, of Lansdale, pistol whipped a man outside of the apartment complex who was walking home from the festival with his girlfriend. The victim suffered an orbital fracture, traumatic injury of the head, facial laceration, facial contusion, and multiple abrasions as a result of the assault, which ultimately led to Smith being charged as an adult.

Smith pleaded guilty to the assault in June 2023 and was sentenced to 2 to 4 years in state prison.

A second teen — then-17-year-old Terhan Wright, of Lansdale — was also charged as an adult in connection with the 2021 assault, and investigators said there were other juvenile suspects involved, however they were unable to identify them.

When asked about the August 2023 assault, police said it was unclear if the group of 10 that included Simpson-Harris was coming-from or going-to the summer festival, while also leaving open the possibility that the group was just hanging out at Oakwood Gardens prior to the alleged incident.

Police said two juvenile suspects were also arrested in connection with the August 2023 assault, however information pertaining to those arrests is not made public.

There is no connection between the suspects and victim from the 2021 incident to the one that occurred in August 2023, according to police.