Crime & Safety

District Court: Burglary, Thefts and Resisting Arrest

From the office of Magisterial District Judge David Kovach.

The following people were charged and waived their scheduled April 13 and April 20 preliminary hearings before

A Valencia man who was part of a trio that stole copper from homes and businesses will be formally arraigned May 22.

Russell Steven Hoffman, 21, of George Street, was charged with burglary, theft, criminal mischief, receiving stolen property, criminal trespass, conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to commit theft.

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reported they began to work with other law enforcement agencies in Butler County in 2011 to investigate thefts from across the area.

According to the criminal complaint, stole a large amount of copper wiring and piping from a home on Kline Avenue in Callery over a period of several weeks in Fall 2010.

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They then sold the copper for cash at various scrap yards. The total amount of damage to the Kline Avenue property was valued at $31,785, according to the criminal compliant.

The complaint said Baxter, Hoffman and another man also stole copper wiring Nov. 12 from ASCC Inc. on Wisconsin Avenue in Cranberry. Sales receipts show Baxter, Hoffman and the other man sold the copper wiring to a scrap yard in Middlesex Township.

Police said Baxter and Hoffman on Nov. 26 also attempted to sell more than $2,000 worth of equipment and merchandise they had stolen from Dietrich Tree Service on James Street in Valencia.

Hoffman also confessed to stealing a set of yellow hazard lights valued at $600 from a car in the parking lot of Hockenberger Motors on South Main Street in Zelienople on Nov. 26, the complaint said.

Burglary

Cody Ray Howard, 20, of Euclid Road, West Sunbury, was charged with burglary, theft, criminal trespass, carrying a firearm without a license, conspiracy to commit burglary and two counts of receiving stolen property. According to the criminal complaint filed by Cranberry police, Howard admitted he and two other men burglarized a home on Hartzell School Road in Marion Township on Nov. 28. A Smith & Wesson .38 caliber revolver, jewelry, cash and other merchandise were taken from the home, according to the complaint. The total value of the stolen merchandise was $2,000, the complaint said.

Howard was charged as part of an investigation into a string of burglaries that occurred around Allegheny, Beaver and Butler counties between Nov 1 and Dec. 31, the complaint said.

Resisting Arrest

Todd McCormick, 27, of Garfield Avenue, Mars, was charged with resisting arrest, driving under the influence, driving under the influence at the highest rate of alcohol, disregarding traffic lanes, exceeding the speed limit by 35 mph, reckless driving, failure to keep right and fleeing from police.

A patrolling Cranberry police officer observed McCormick driving on the shoulder of Route 19 at about 2:30 a.m. on Feb. 18. McCormick then turned the car onto Rochester Road, where police estimated his speed reached 70 mph hour in a 45 mph zone. McCormick accelerated away when officer attempted a traffic stop. He eventually came to a stop on Sandalwood Drive, according to the criminal complaint. McCormick resisted when police put him in handcuffs and again when officers placed him in the police cruiser, the complaint said.

Police said McCormick's blood-alcohol level was 0.254 percent, exceeding the state’s legal limit of 0.08 percent.

Theft

  • Ryan Christopher Erickson, 25, of Rosewood Court, Pittsburgh, was charged with retail theft and receiving stolen property. Cranberry police reported they were called to the at about 8 p.m. March 30 for a theft in progress. According to the criminal complaint, Erickson ran from the store after being chased by an loss prevention employee. Police found him hiding in the men’s bathroom of the on Route 19. According to the criminal complaint, Erickson stole 18 DVDs—with a total value of $444—from Walmart.
  • Jeffrey Allan Ferguson, 33, of North Franklin Street, Prospect, was charged with five counts of retail theft and five counts of receiving stolen property after he attempted to leave the Giant Eagle in Seven Fields at about 11 a.m. on Sept. 9 and with four boxes of Privacid and one box of Prilosec that he did not pay for. The total value of the merchandise was $128.95, according to the criminal complaint filed by Cranberry police.  
  • Edward Rich Misencik, Jr., 29, of Route 68, New Brighton, was charged with theft and receiving stolen property. Cranberry police report an employee of the Verizon Wireless customer service center on Cranberry Woods Drive told police she discovered an empty box that was missing an Android cell phone under her desk on Dec. 13. After learning the phone had been activated, police called the phone and Misencik answered. Misencik admitted he stole the phone while he was in the building working as a data installer on Dec. 8, the complaint said.

Drug Charges

Justin Michael Moore, 18, of Carlye Drive, Cranberry, was charged with having a small amount of marijuana for personal use and possession of drug paraphernalia. Cranberry police said they were called to the dog park in the 900 block of the Sunset Circle neighborhood at about 12:30 p.m. Jan. 27 after reports of a suspicious vehicle in the area.

When officers arrived, the empty car was illegally parked in front of the dog park, according to the criminal complaint. Moore was discovered crouched down on the rear patio of home on Sunset Circle, the complaint said. Police said Moore had a plastic jar containing marijuana on him. There also was a plastic 2-liter bottle that had been converted into a pipe on the patio. Police also found two glass pipes with burnt marijuana residue on them inside the vehicle Moore was driving.

DUI

  • Paul Anthony Glevicky III, 50, of W. Lancaster Road, Harmony, was charged with driving under influence of a combination of alcohol and drugs, operating unsafe equipment and driving without a license. Cranberry police said they were dispatched to Rochester Road at about 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 1 after reports of an erratic driver in the area who was driving a truck with no tailgate Police said Romine's blood-alcohol level was 0.096 percent, exceeding the state’s legal limit of 0.08 percent. A blood test also showed he had Hydrocodone in his system.
  • Nicolas Andre Mailloux, 26, of Hoon Road, Butler, was charged with driving under the influence at the highest rate of alcohol and not deactivating his turn signal while driving on Route 19 at 3 a.m. on Feb. 8. According to the criminal complaint filed by Cranberry police, Mailloux’s blood-alcohol level was 0.146 percent, exceeding the state’s legal limit of 0.08 percent.
  • Brandon W. Basile, 24, of Cedar Ridge Road, Monroeville, was charged with driving under the influence, driving under the influence at the highest rate of alcohol and failure to use proper turning signals. Cranberry police pulled Basile over on Feb. 5 near the turnpike ramp on Route 19. According to the criminal complaint, Basile’s blood-alcohol level was 0.178 percent, exceeding the state’s legal limit of 0.08 percent.


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