A Lancaster city man convicted of repeatedly stabbing his estranged wife last year in Lancaster city has lost his appeal for a new sentence.

Emmanuel Coreano is serving a 15-to-30-year term for ambushing the woman in the basement of her home, luring her there by turning off a breaker switch.

The Pennsylvania Superior Court recently denied his appeal for relief, finding the sentence wasn’t excessive.

Coreano, 27, pleaded guilty but mentally ill to attempted homicide and aggravated assault, and was sentenced in March by Lancaster County Judge Joseph Madenspacher.

The woman had filed a protection-from-abuse order because Coreano kept going to her home and playing with utilities.

On appeal, Coreano argued that Judge Madenspacher didn’t consider mitigating factors in the case or Coreano’s character.

The high court found that argument “frivolous.”

The judges, in a 10-page opinion, outlined a number of things Judge Madenspacher said during sentencing that showed he considered mitigating factors, mainly Coreano’s mental health.

“You are a troubled soul,” Madenspacher told Coreano. “I don’t think it did you any good when your brother burned himself and his child alive in the car… If I could wave a wand over your head and cure you, I would do that and we would send you out the front door and never have to worry about something like this again. But I can’t.”

Assistant District Attorney Susan Ellison prosecuted the case.

Lancaster city police Detective James Fatta filed charges.

MEDIA CONTACT: Brett A. Hambright, 717-295-2041; bhambright@co.lancaster.pa.us;                           Twitter: @BrettHambright