An Allentown man was found guilty Thursday of stabbing his Bethlehem girlfriend and threatening to “gut her baby and make it squeal like a pig.”
Elias Pellot’s bloodshot eyes welled with tears after he was convicted of the Feb. 23 attack in the victim’s at home in the 1400 block of East Sixth Street.
The two had been dating for about a month when Pellot asked her to use 10-month old son as “bait” to lure out an ex-girlfriend, according to Northampton County Assistant District Attorney Laura Majewski.
When she refused, Pellot flew into a rage and stabbed her in the buttocks while she tried to protect the child.
Majewski said her decision to lean forward to protect the baby probably saved her from a more serious stab wound.
“That’s why he was able to stab her in the buttocks instead of where he most likely wanted to stab her,” Majewski said. “Throughout this entire assault she was able to protect that child. That takes a strong person to do that.”
He held her in the home against her will and only allowed her to seek medical attention the next day. He told her not to tell hospital workers how she was stabbed or he would “gut her baby and make it squeal like a pig,” Majewski said.
Majewski hugged the victim after the verdict was read. She said the jury verdict proves Pellot’s familiarity with the victim was no excuse for his conduct.
“An assault is an assault. Just because it happens behind closed doors in the privacy of a home doesn’t mean it’s not as heinous as an assault outside on the street,” she said.
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Pellot, 41, regretted his decision not to testify.
“I wanted to take the stand. I did,” he told Judge Anthony Beltrami. The judge reminded him he was asked on the record whether he wanted to testify and he waived that right.
“It’s too late now,” the judge said. “We are adjourned.”
The judge revoked Pellot’s bail and he cried as sheriffs cuffed him and put him in leg shackles.
He was found guilty of two counts of aggravated assault and single counts of making terroristic threat, recklessly endangering another person, simple assault and unlawful restraint.
The jurors found he didn’t commit serious bodily injury but that he did intend to commit serious bodily injury when he stabbed the victim. Jurors had to find him guilty of either one or the other in order for that aggravated assault count to stand.
“Essentially he was found guilty of all charges,” Majewski said.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 31.
Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook.
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