Paul Lenzi

After maintaining that he acted in self-defense, a 69-year-old Butler man was sentenced Thursday to serve 54 to 180 months in state prison for non-fatally stabbing a disabled man on Main Street in the city in September 2021.

Paul Leslie Lenzi, who was found guilty of felony charges of attempted voluntary manslaughter and aggravated assault by a jury in September, was sentenced to 54 to 180 months in prison. The charges were merged for sentencing purposes.

“It was self-defense,” Lenzi said before Common Pleas Court Judge Timothy McCune ordered the sentence.

He also took issue with part of his presentence investigation report, which said mental health issues can partially explain his actions. He said that part of the report is “conjecture.”

Assistant District Attorney Robert Zanella cited trial testimony from a witness who said Lenzi looked up at him while he was stabbing Ryan Troup of Butler and then continued stabbing him. Troup was 40 years old at the time of the incident.

“This was a brutal, unprovoked attack,” Zanella said. He said Lenzi has refused to acknowledge guilt or show remorse for the injuries he caused.

“A man like this should never walk the streets again,” Zanella said. “He did it at 69. He could do it at 79.”

He indicated that Troup’s mother had to write his victim impact statement for him due to his disability.

Public defender Joseph Smith asked McCune to impose a sentence of 36 to 54 months, and to consider Lenzi’s age.

McCune, who presided over the trial, said there was no reason for Troup to go through the trauma he experienced.

Butler City police arrested Lenzi following the Sept. 20, 2021, incident that took place at 322 S. Main St. at 1:50 p.m.

Lenzi testified that he approached Troup and asked if he needed help with the hood of his car, which was being held down with bungee cords.

Lenzi said Troup tried to hit him and he defended himself by stabbing him with a knife he had in the back pocket of his jeans. He said he retrieved the knife from his car before he approached Troup because he thought he might have to use it to cut the bungee cords.

Troup, who said he has been disabled since he was 12 years old, said he was waiting for a friend to return from a restaurant when approached by Lenzi. He said he was releasing the bungee cords when Lenzi began to stab him.

Troup suffered stab wounds to his neck and back, and defensive wounds on his hands and fingers.

Witnesses said they saw both men on the ground, with Lenzi on top and stabbing Troup.

An off-duty county adult probation officer heard screaming from a nearby building and responded. He said he drew his off-duty gun and ordered Lenzi to stop and drop the knife twice before he complied. Lenzi said he has difficulty hearing, and used a hearing device during the trial. He also used a hearing device Thursday at the sentencing hearing.