Man who injured two Lowndes County deputies sentenced

LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A man who held law enforcement at bay – and even injured two Lowndes County deputies will serve 50 years in prison.

Earlier Friday in Lowndes County Circuit Court Kent Coscia, 30, was sentenced to 25 years on each of two counts of Aggravated Assault on a Law Officer.

It happened almost 5 years ago in March of 2014.

Deputies went to Coscia’s home on Drake Circle for a welfare check.

Things went downhill quickly. After an initial conversation with Coscia, deputies approached the home with SWAT gear.

That’s when deputies Larry Swearingen and Clint Sims were shot.

“The overwhelming support from the community, then until now has been outstanding. I’m proud to be a deputy of the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department,” said Lt. Clint Sims.

Well it’s really about the deputies who were so brave that day and were victims of a horrific crime just trying to protect and serve,” said District Attorney Scott Colom.

The delay in bringing the case to trial is because the prosecutors had to wait on mental health evaluations from the state hospital.

DA Colom said there’s a serious backup and that delays everything else.

Coscia will serve the 50 years consecutively.

Both deputies have recovered from their injuries.