Alexander Octa Roscioli, 23, of the 300 block of S. Broom Street, was sentenced by Lehigh County Judge James T. Anthony Oct. 8 to one to five years in state prison for his guilty plea to involuntary manslaughter in the beating death of his elderly neighbor.

An affidavit of probable cause filed by Emmaus Police and the Lehigh County District Attorney's Homicide Task Force alleged the following:

At about 2:41 a.m. Aug. 30, 2013, Emmaus Police responded to a residence in the 300 block of S. Bloom Street in the borough after receiving a report an elderly man had been assaulted and was bleeding and unresponsive.

The man, John Sweeney, 70, was taken by emergency medical personnel to Lehigh Valley Health Network, Salisbury Township. Sweeney was described as in critical condition at the hospital. He died the next day.

A forensic pathologist who performed the autopsy determined the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head. The dead man's injuries included a skull fracture, broken ribs and a cerebral hemorrhage. Lehigh County Coroner Scott M. Grim ruled the death a homicide.

According to police, Roscioli allegedly punched and kicked Sweeney after he struck Roscioli with a plastic hockey stick during a dispute.

Roscioli turned himself in to authorities Nov. 20, 2013.