Long saga involving disgraced local lawyer comes to conclusion Tuesday

Williamsport, Pa. — Disgraced lawyer Matthew Zeigler, 52, has filed countless appeals and asked for new counsel over four years since his initial arrest, delaying justice for his victims.

Tuesday, there were no more appeals or delays as the former Williamsport lawyer pleaded guilty to five counts of child endangerment. Zeigler will also pay $6,500 in fines.

From 1994 until his arrest in 2020, Zeigler abused his eight children with both physical and emotional punishments.

Zeigler was released from custody Tuesday, following a quick check-in with Lycoming County Adult Probation. He claimed to be moving in with family who live in Indiana County. Zeigler will then be moved to state probation to serve the remainder of his probation.

Zeigler was arrested in 2020 after firing a handgun while five of his eight children and wife were inside the home. Law enforcement uncovered the allegations of abuse after interviewing Zeigler's children and wife. Josh Shapiro, who was Pennsylvania's attorney general at the time, called the abuse “brutal,” claiming it lasted over a sustained period of time.

The Office of Attorney General obtained jurisdiction over the case in May 2020 after a referral from the Lycoming County District Attorney’s office, which initiated the investigation. The Lycoming County Children & Youth Services agency was a key partner in the investigation.

After Zeigler’s arrest, his children were interviewed, and disclosed emotional and physical abuse by both parents. Initial charges against Zeigler's wife were dropped.

The children reported cruel physical punishments, including punches to the body, beatings with a leather belt, being forced to drink noxious liquids, and being locked in a closet for up to a week without food or water. It was also alleged that Zeigler touched the buttocks of two of his minor daughters in a sexual manner on multiple occasions, particularly when he was inebriated.

Two survivors of Zeigler's abuse gave impact statements at the hearing.

"I will not be afraid of you," one survivor said, staring directly at Zeigler. "Never will you ever be in my life. You are nothing to me."

The person described belt shaped marks from Zeigler's abuse. "I've been afraid of you my whole life," they said. "You have no honor." The survivor claimed to have attempted suicide twice in the years after Zeigler's abuse.

A second survivor pointed to their chest claiming, "you hit me here."

When given a chance to speak, Ziegler named each person and apologized. "I know I did these things," Zeigler said. "I can't believe that I did, but I did."

Zeigler called the abuse "unspeakable" claiming he wanted to be their friend. "I should have been there to hold them," he said. "I wanted to be their friend."

Dauphin County Judge Richard Lewis warned Zeigler of his zero tolerance policy on "no contact" orders. As part of Zeigler's supervision he is to have no contact with his children.

Zeigler appeared to press his luck at the end of the hearing asking about if his children wanted to contact him after they were adults. Judge Richard Lewis explained the process before any contact is made. "The words [the survivor] spoke were the most powerful I've ever heard," Lewis said. "The father needed to hear it from you."

Zeigler was originally charged with eight counts of endangering the welfare of children, witness intimidation, obstruction of justice, indecent assault, and conspiracy to commit endangering the welfare of children. The remaining counts of endangering the welfare of children and other charges were dropped by the commonwealth.

Zeigler has been in custody since an arrest for DUI in 2021.

Zeigler was given credit for 1,137 days served. He is being sentenced on count 3 of the original docket to 18 months to 1,137 days. His credit maxes the sentence on count 3 out.

For the endangerment counts left over, Zeigler will serve one year probation for each that runs concurrently. Those ultimately run consecutively to his sentence on count 3 for five years of supervised bail.

Zeigler will not be added to the Sex Offender Notification Act (SORNA) list.

Docket sheet