Self-Proclaimed Prophet Calls Victim A “Witch” (Carl Hessler Jr./The Mercury; Dec 16)

NORRISTOWN, Pennsylvania: Proclaiming to be a prophet influenced by the “Holy Spirit,” a Bechtelsville area woman dramatically stood up in court and called the woman she’s accused of stalking a witch.

“(She) is a very powerful witch, it’s true. She has grown more insolent,” Sharlene Andreyko bellowed in a Montgomery County courtroom on Tuesday as she stared at the Lower Pottsgrove woman who prosecutors say she repeatedly stalked. “I am here making an accusation that I do not do lightly. This is very, very real. I am not a crazed lunatic.”

Andreyko, 50, of Lenape Road, who is representing herself at trial, spoke to a riveted jury in a narrative fashion as she denied the stalking charge and tried to explain the reasons she sent religious-themed letters to the Maple Glen Court woman and her husband.

“The reason I went this far with this is I really am a prophet. I spent a tremendous amount of time studying the Scriptures,” said Andreyko, claiming the Holy Spirit advised her to “instruct” the woman’s husband that his wife is a witch and that he is being deceived.

“This is what I’ve been led to do by the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit wants to get hold of you he will get hold of you. When I am under the influence of the Holy Spirit I speak in very powerful rhyme,” testified Andreyko, who is the daughter of a pastor.

At one point during the trial, Judge Steven T. O’Neill cleared jurors from the courtroom and scolded Andreyko for flashing props such as a miniature Bible in view of jurors.

“That prevents a fair and impartial trial. You are not going to disrupt this trial,” O’Neill warned Andreyko.

“I work for God, not you. This is my Bible and the United States of America,” Andreyko bluntly replied before agreeing to put away her props and to refrain from future outbursts.

Assistant District Attorney John Walko presented the jury with about 20 letters that Andreyko allegedly wrote to the married couple, their church, their friends and relatives, and even to police and District Court Judge John J. Durkin between December 2008 and March 2009. Andreyko, testimony indicated, made references to knowing the couple through a business school they attended 20 years ago.

In the letters, Andreyko referred to the Lower Pottsgrove woman as “Jezebel,” claiming the woman used witchcraft to marry her husband.

“Jezebel is a picture of a very, very evil woman that uses sorcery to achieve what she wants. She manipulated her husband. She used her womanly wiles to seduce,” Andreyko uttered Tuesday during one of her so-called divinely inspired revelations.

Andreyko signed some of the letters with the name “Abigal,” an apparent biblical reference to the wife of Nabal.

In one letter, Andreyko appeared to claim to be able to foretell future events, claiming the woman will be dead soon after crossing paths with a herd of deer and that her death will be “grotesque,” according to testimony.

“I interpreted it to mean I was going to be killed. (The letters) made it very clear what her mission was. That was to get rid of me and then evidently she thinks she’s going to be with (my husband). I’m fearful,” the Lower Pottsgrove woman testified, adding she feels like a prisoner in her own home, needing friends and family to check up on her and escort her to places out of fear Andreyko will suddenly appear.

The husband testified Andreyko even sent letters to the couple’s church, claiming the church shall “collapse,” causing great concern to the pastor and numerous parishioners.

“Now it affected my church. It keeps going and going and going. This will never stop. She has no fear of authority. She will not stop,” the husband testified.

God, Andreyko testified, told her that there are 24 witches and two covens at the church.

“Witchcraft is very, very real. It’s abhorred by God,” Andreyko told the jury.

Lower Pottsgrove Detective Joseph Campbell testified he warned Andreyko to stop harassing the couple but his warnings went unheeded. Campbell said he told Andreyko that her conduct struck fear in the couple.

“She said she was glad because her message was getting across. She said I wasn’t qualified to proceed with the charges because I wasn’t spiritual,” Campbell told the jury.

Andreyko claimed the emotional distress suffered by the woman “is because she knows what is coming.”

Andreyko claimed she is “distressed” by being labeled a stalker.

“I am not a stalker in any way. There’s no reason to be afraid of me. I don’t walk around and terrorize anybody. The Bible says you are to warn the wicked … and the believer. Once the warning is made I am off the hook,” Andreyko said.

But asked by Walko if she would continue to have contact with the couple if God directed her to, Andreyko replied in a familiar tone, “Then John, I would have to.”

The judge ordered Andreyko to have no contact with the couple while free on bail pending the outcome of the trial. Walko and Andreyko will give closing statements to the jury this morning and then jurors will deliberate Andreyko’s fate.

Andreyko faces a possible maximum sentence of 2½ to five years in jail if convicted of the misdemeanor stalking charge. She also is charged with a summary offense of harassment in connection with alleged incidents.

Prosecutors previously revealed that Andreyko turned down a plea agreement offer that would have allowed her to be sentenced to a term of probation.

Self-Proclaimed Prophet Convicted Of Stalking (Carl Hessler Jr./The Mercury; Dec 16)

NORRISTOWN, Pennsylvania: A self-proclaimed prophet who spouted biblical passages to rail against a Lower Pottsgrove couple showed no emotion as a jury determined her conduct caused emotional distress for the couple.

The Montgomery County jury deliberated just 10 minutes on Wednesday before convicting Sharlene Andreyko, 50, of Lenape Road, Bechtelsville, of a misdemeanor charge of stalking in connection with incidents that occurred between December 2008 and March 2009.

Judge Steven T. O’Neill, referring to testimony about threats Andreyko made to the married couple, immediately revoked Andreyko’s bail and ordered that she undergo a mental health evaluation at Montgomery County Emergency Services.

“The testimony at this trial was nothing short of alarming,” said O’Neill, adding he couldn’t predict Andreyko’s future behavior and couldn’t risk the safety of the Lower Pottsgrove couple or the community at-large if she were to remain free on bail at this time.