Lynn man convicted of firing bullets through apartment

LAWRENCE – A Superior Court jury convicted Jotan Cooper of Lynn of firing three bullets through a Lawton Avenue apartment, putting a bullet in the leg of the homeowner after deliberating for just about two hours.Cooper, 26, of 34 Hanover St., was sentenced 12-to-15-years in state prison by Judge Richard E. Welch.Jurors convicted him of armed assault with intent to kill, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, resisting arrest and two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon in connection with the January 5 early evening shooting at 135 Lawton Ave.He was sentenced to serve 9-to-10-years in prison for the armed assault with intent to kill charge and given another 3-to-5-year punishment for the assault and battery offense, but that sentence is not to commence until he finishes the first term of incarceration. In essence he will be behind bars for at least 12-years and no more than 15-years.Then, when Cooper gets out of prison, he will be on probation for another five years.Assistant District Attorney James P. Gubitose introduced evidence during the trial that Cooper shot three bullets through the Lawton Street apartment door in an effort to kill William Hiltz.Hiltz, 49, sustained a bullet wound to his upper thigh.The two men had allegedly had an altercation earlier inside Hiltz?s apartment involving drugs.Cooper left the apartment, returned and fired the three bullets through Hiltz?s apartment door.Police found shell casings near Hiltz? bullet-riddled door.Lynn police officer Greg Hagerty arrested Cooper the next day at the intersection of Hanover and Franklin Streets following a brief struggle.Cooper did not take the stand in his own defense.His attorney, Mark Schmidt argued that the commonwealth had the wrong man and that his client was innocent.An Essex County grand jury handed up the charges against Cooper last February. He has been held in custody in lieu of bail since and will receive credit for that time towards his prison term.