District Court: Thefts and Drug Charges

The following people were charged and waived their scheduled Feb. 3 and Feb. 10 preliminary hearings before

charged two men with stealing a woman’s wallet while she was shopping at the Giant Eagle in Seven Fields and with using her credit card to buy a prepaid Visa gift card valued at $250 from the in Adams Township.

James Patrick McConeghy, 32, of Gill Hall Road, Clairton, was charged with theft, receiving stolen property, and conspiracy to commit theft.

Matthew Clyde McCracken, 24, of East Brady Street, Butler, was charged with using an access device without permission, conspiracy to used the access device, and receiving stolen property.

Cranberry police said they were called to the Giant Eagle on Route 228 at about 6:50 p.m. on Nov. 4 after the woman noticed her wallet was missing when she went to pay for her groceries.

The woman told police a man, later identified as McCracken, approached her while she was in the store’s produce area and asked her to help him pick out a ripe mango. Surveillance video at the store showed another man, later identified as McConeghy, going to her shopping cart while the women was walking with McCracken to the fruit section. Both men then left the store. Less then an hour later, Cranberry officers viewed footage from the Walgreens store that showed McCracken using the woman’s credit card to buy a $250 Visa gift card.

Theft

Kim Marie Cody, 48, of Portersville Road, Ellwood City, was charged with retail theft, possession of an instrument of crime, and falsely identifying herself to police. Cranberry police reported they were called to in Cranberry at about 5:10 p.m. on Jan. 18 for a theft in progress.

A Walmart loss prevention employee told police he saw Cody use a pair of scissors to cut the security package from a Samsung prepaid smart phone and attempt to leave the store without paying for it. According to the criminal complaint, Cody gave police a fictitious name and date of birth. She also told police she had never been arrested before. Further investigation by police led to the discovery of Cody’s real name and birth date. According to the criminal complaint, the Jan. 18 incident was Cody’s 22nd arrest. She also had at least four prior convictions for retail theft, the complaint said.

Drug Possession

William Christopher Rice, 28, of Garvin Road, Cranberry Township, was charged with drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia. Cranberry police reported officers were called to Rice's home at about 8:20 p.m. on Nov. 14 for reports of a drug overdose. According to the criminal complaint, Rice told officers he injected himself with heroin and then passed out. Police found two syringes and eight stamp bags of heroin labeled “Nose Candy,” along with five empty stamp bags (also labeled Nose Candy) belonging to Rice.

DUI

• Jonathan David Devore, 30, of Oakhaven Drive, Coraopolis, was charged with resisting arrest, driving under the influence, driving with a blood alcohol content of .02 while having a suspended driver's license, driving with a suspended license, possession of drug paraphernalia and property damage. Cranberry police reported officers were called to a home on Glen Eden Road at about 1:45 a.m. on Oct. 18  after the homeowner discovered the car Devore was driving parked in the front yard of his home. Police said Devore was asleep inside the vehicle, which was still running. The homeowner told officers he was unable to wake Devore, whom he did not know. According to the criminal complaint, Devore became aggressive when an officer questioned him and tried to resist the handcuffs the officer placed on him. Police also found a glass pipe used for smoking marijuana in the car, according to the complaint. Police said Devore had a blood-alcohol level of 0.091 percent, exceeding the state’s legal limit of 0.08 percent.
• Chad Prentiss Romine, 26, of Well Line Road in Cantonment, Fl, was charged with driving under the influence, driving under influence at the highest rate of alcohol, careless driving, and speeding. Cranberry police said Romine rear-ended another car at the intersection of Freedom Road and Route 19 at about 2:15 a.m. on Jan. 28. The driver of the other car called police after Romine drove away from her without giving her his information, according to the criminal complaint. Police found Romine in the parking lot of the Candlewood Hotel on Route 19 after the driver of the other car followed him there. Police said Romine's blood-alcohol level was 0.163 percent, exceeding the state’s legal limit of 0.08 percent.