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Mark Ivie Sr., 44, of Ephrata, pleaded nolo contendre, meaning he has accepted conviction but is not admitted guilt, to a felony charge of criminal conspiracy to commit aggravated assault and a misdemeanor of simple assault in a negotiated guilty plea, leading to a three-and-a-half to seven-year sentence, according to a release by the Lancaster County district attorney’s office.
In December, his son Mark Ivie Jr., 21, was sentenced to serve 24 to 50 years in prison for his conviction on five counts of aggravated assault and multiple other charges after opening fire at a group of men with an AR-15 at his family's home.
The shooting happened hours after a fight at a July 4th cookout over a digital feud about a music video Ivie Jr.’s former coworker posted on Snapchat, according to the release and police at the time.
When the former coworker and five friends showed up outside the father and son’s home on Blackberry Lane early on July 5, for a fist fight– Ivie Sr. was ready with an AR-15 rifle, according to the DA.
During the fight, Ivie Sr. handed the gun over to his son before he punched one of the friends, according to the release.
Ivie Jr. fired 14 rounds, striking four of the men and two nearby homes, the DA says.
A neighbor caught the incident on their surveillance system, as stated in the release.
Ivie Sr. is now banned from possessing firearms and has to pay $81,000 in restitution and will report to Lancaster County Prison on May 4, the DA says.
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