Albany sword attacker gets 25 years in prison

The man who attacked a worker at Albany homeless shelter with a sword last August is going to prison.

Randell Mason, 42, was sentenced Friday in Albany County Court. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison, with five years post release supervision. There were also several orders of protection granted.

Mason pleaded guilty to attempted 2nd degree murder in February.

The victim, Jon Romano, suffered severe injuries to his arms, which needed to be reattached, and to his head and legs.

Romano is the man who fired a shotgun at students and wounded a teacher in Columbia High School in East Greenbush in 2004. He was released from prison in 2020 after serving 16 years for attempted murder.

Romano offered his forgiveness and well wishes to his attacker in court Friday.

“I’ve been to the places where you’re going. I served 17 years in prison myself, that’s why I wanted to work at that shelter, to do good for the community that I once hurt,” he said. “And I hope you know that the places you’re about to be are also filled with anger and rage and I hope you don’t give into it like a lot of people do.”