Courts. (Credit: LevittownNow.com)
A Philadelphia man who stabbed a loss prevention officer multiple times during a disturbance at a Five Below store in Cheltenham Township has been sentenced to 20 to 40 years in state prison, according to a report.
Truman Jermaine Parks, 53, of the 7800 block of Fayette Street, was convicted of attempted murder and related charges for the December 2024 attack at the Greenleaf Shopping Center, located at 2401 W Cheltenham Avenue.
Prosecutors said Parks returned to the store after a dispute, approached the unarmed guard from behind, and stabbed him repeatedly with such force that the knife blade broke off in the victim’s chest. The victim survived emergency surgery but still carries part of the blade lodged in his lung.
During sentencing, Parks, known for his quick-witted demeanor, offered a spontaneous rap-style comment, saying, “I told the judge, don’t budge, it was him or me. I’m not trying to be hard, but I’m guilty as charged. I put my mercy on this court and my faith in God."
Senior Judge Thomas C. Branca said Parks “posed a danger to the community” and that his intent to kill was clear.
Authorities credited Cheltenham police officers with saving the victim’s life by rushing him to the hospital. A co-defendant, Sydney Swain-Parks, 28, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy and was sentenced to jail and probation.
