Cranberry Man to Stand Trial on Charges of Pawning Stolen Property at Waddell's Music Center

For the second time this year, a 23-year-old Cranberry man waived his preliminary hearing on charges related to pawning or trying to pawn $4,460 in stolen musical instruments and equipment at in Pine Township.

This time, Tyler Bruce Smith is the defendant.

They are charged as co-conspirators.

Smith waived his preliminary hearing Wednesday before Magisterial District Judge William K. Wagner. His case now moves to the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas.

Smith is charged with felony counts of receiving stolen property, burglary and criminal conspiracy. He also is charged with a misdemeanor count of prohibited acts/possession of drug paraphernalia.

 police officers arrested Smith and Sturgeon on Jan. 16 at Waddell's on Perry Highway in Wexford.

Waddell's owner, Gary Waddell, told police Jan. 11 that a Pittsburgh man contacted him about musical equipment that had been stolen from his home, the criminal complaint states.

Pittsburgh detectives brought the man to Waddell's Music Center on Jan. 12, and he identified guitars, drums, cymbals and other equipment as his property, the complaint states.

Sturgeon and Smith sold the items to the store on Dec. 30, Jan. 6 and Jan. 10, according to police.

A Waddell's employee notified Northern Regional police on Jan. 16 that the men were in the store trying to sell more music equipment, the complaint states.

The officers found the men had equipment belonging to the Pittsburgh man and two hypodermic needles, a spoon and five stamp bags labeled "See No Evil," the complaint states.

Smith and Sturgeon were arrested and transported to the Northern Regional station. They admitted that they knew the items were stolen. The two sold or attempted to sell 15 items to Waddell's for a total value of $4,460, according to the complaint.