By Pattie Price
Brendan Meehan, 21, of Newtown, was remanded to the George W. Hill Correctional Facility when he was unable to post $50,000 bail, during an appearance before Magisterial District Judge Lee Hunter, Thursday.
Meehan waived his hearing on the charges of criminal trespass and theft by unlawful taking for an incident 2:35 p.m., Jan. 27, when he entered a neighbor’s home on Rockwood Road, Newtown, Delaware County, Pa. In exchange for the waiver the charge of burglary was withdrawn.
According to the affidavit, Newtown Detective John Newell said the victim called police when she discovered Meehan had entered her home through a window. Once the woman saw Meehan, he fled through the front door of the residence.
Police searched the neighborhood but were unable to locate Meehan. The victim was able to give police a description of Meehan and also the clothing he was wearing. Two weeks prior to this incident, police said Meehan was wearing the same shirt that the victim described.
Newell went to Meehan’s residence and he initially denied any involvement but then decided to “come clean” and admitted being in the home. He told police that he was bored and needed money since he was out of work.
Meehan admitted he knocked on the door several times and when no one answered, he went to the rear of the home and pried off a screen allowing him access to open the window and crawl into the home.
Meehan is scheduled for a May 3 arraignment in Common Pleas Court.
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Kathleen Wilson, 36, of Marple, waived a hearing on the charges of possession of a small amount of marijuana. In exchange for the waiver, the charge of possession of drug paraphernalia was withdrawn. The charges stem from an incident 5:30 p.m., May 16, in the 3200 block of Hilltop Road, Newtown.
According to the affidavit, Newtown Detective John Newell saw Ms. Wilson pull up at the residence and beep her horn. He said she was holding two $5 bills and admitted that she was there to “buy weed.”
Police confiscated a small amount of marijuana, numerous vials and baggies containing marijuana residue and cocaine residue, a smoking pipe, and over 100 different pills. They also found a blank prescription.
Ms. Wilson was released and is scheduled for a May 3 arraignment in Common Pleas Court.
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Anthony Bonifacino, 23, of Kennett Square, waived a hearing on the charges of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. In exchange for the waiver the charge of possession with intent to deliver or manufacture a controlled substance was withdrawn. The charges stem from an incident 12:15a.m., Jan. 4, at Chestnut Street and Summit Avenue.
According to the affidavit, Newtown Officer Dan Dougherty saw Bonifacino standing outside a white truck with a flashlight. Bonifacino said he dropped something and was looking for it. Dougherty saw two small straws commonly used for snorting narcotics on the center console, a piece of plastic with a white powdery substance, an American Express card with white residue, a small piece of metal with white residue, and a few pills in a cylinder.
The driver of the truck was removed from the vehicle and patted down. Confiscated from the driver were one-and-a-half pills.
Bonifacino, a passenger, admitted they were snorting a Percocet and when he dropped some and got out of the truck to look for them.
Also confiscated from Bonifacino’s pocket were a razor blade, $782, and a tally sheet.
Bonifacino was released and is scheduled for a May 3 arraignment in Common Pleas Court.
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Jason Claus, 27, of Philadelphia, waived a hearing on the charges of forgery, access device fraud and receiving stolen property. The charges stem from an incident 11:32 a.m., May 13, at a home in the unit block of Radnor Drive.
According to the affidavit, Newtown Officer Dan Dougherty was called to the victim’s home when the woman discovered her purse had been stolen from the trunk of her car which was parked in her driveway.
The purse contained numerous personal items, $240, car keys, numerous credit cards, debit cards and savings bonds. Police discovered her Citizens Bank card was used 4:43a.m., May 13 to purchase gas on Island Avenue; at 5:21a.m., made a purchase at McDonald’s on 69th Street; and again at 6:03a.m., to purchase gift cards for $125 from the 7-11 on Garret Road.
After reviewing surveillance tapes at the businesses, one of the employees identified Claus.
Police learned Claus was arrested in Philadelphia in a stolen car that contained some of the victim’s property. Police went to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania where Claus was in custody and interviewed him. Claus admitted to the thefts and said he suffers from drug addiction, smokes crack and is basically homeless.
Claus was remanded to the George W. Hill Correctional Facility when he was unable to post 10 percent of $25,000 bail. He is scheduled for a May 3 arraignment in Common Pleas Court.
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Robert Randolph, 32, of Philadelphia plead guilty to disorderly conduct during a hearing Thursday. In exchange for the guilty plea, the charges of possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a small amount of marijuana. The charges stem from an incident 3:51p.m., Feb. 13, on West Chester Pike at Tuxedo Avenue in Newtown.
Randolph was fined and ordered to pay court costs.
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Charges of burglary, criminal trespass, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia were dismissed against Robin Rowan, 23, of Newtown.
The charges stem from an incident 4:15 p.m., Sept. 23, 2011, at her Newtown residence.