BELLEFONTE — A Howard man given a six-month jail sentence on Friday for a drunken episode last fall in which he waved a rifle at two women won’t have to report to jail right away.

Kevin Shaffer, 54, was allowed to remain free on bail because his attorneys plan to appeal his conviction from last month.

Shaffer was found guilty of several counts related to a drunken episode in which he waved a high-powered rifle at two women at a Zion gas station Oct. 23 and then was arrested on DUI charges.

Judge Pamela A. Ruest twice turned down prosecutors’ request to revoke his bail, arguing Shaffer wanted to put off going to jail and that he posed a danger to the community.

Defense attorney C. Erik Rutkowski asked Ruest to be lenient by giving Shaffer work release or concurrent sentences.

Assistant District Attorney Kelley Gillette-Walker sought a minimum sentence of 21 months in a state prison and that he be jailed immediately.

Ruest said she considered his 20 years of service in the Marine Corps in spite of the “stupidity” of the drunken episode.

Shaffer apologized by saying, “I know I messed up big time. I’m sorry for that.”