Court briefs
Suspect faces trial A Uniontown woman with nine prior convictions for retail theft indicated Monday that she would not accept prison time and mental health counseling for her latest alleged offense. Appearing in Fayette County Court with Public Defender Jeffrey Whiteko, Sandra L. Clark rejected a one to two year prison term for allegedly shoplifting eight CDs from the South Union Township Wal-Mart in November 1998. After she left the store, a loss prevention officer stopped her, but Clark allegedly got into a car and fled. State police arrested Clark this year on the retail theft charge. Since this is allegedly Clark’s 10th retail theft offense, the law states that what could be a summary charge is upgraded to a third-degree felony. According to the Pennsylvania Crimes Code, the grading of retail theft is upgraded after a third offense, regardless of the value of the merchandise stolen. Judge Ralph C. Warman ordered Clark to stand trial.
Plea bargains rejected
Two men accused of sexual assaults in separate cases rejected plea bargains offered to them Monday by Fayette County District Attorney Nancy D. Vernon. Donald Ashcraft, 50, of Uniontown was offered four and a half to nine years in prison for nine counts each of statutory sexual assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, indecent assault, indecent exposure, endangering the welfare of a child and aggravated indecent assault. The assault occurred at 226 E. Fayette St. between July 2001 and August 2002, according to police. The alleged victim, 16, told police in August. During an interview with police, Ashcraft allegedly admitted to assaulting the teen no more than 10 times. In an unrelated case, Cary Lee Davis rejected a two to four year plea for allegedly assaulting a 15-year-old girl at a Bierer Wood Acres apartment in August. Davis is charged with three counts of aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault and corruption of minors. He allegedly told the teen not to move or he would punch her and then sexually assaulted her. The girl’s mother walked in and reportedly saw the assault. She hit Davis and then called police. Both Ashcraft and Davis indicated they wanted to take their cases to trial.
Offer declined
Tadd Richter rejected a two- to four-year sentence on robbery and related charges Monday in Fayette County Court. Richter, 26, of 100 Brick Row Road, Dunbar, allegedly took part in the robbery and assault of Mary Margaret Crum on July 6. State police said Crum was shoved to the ground and her purse was stolen from her along Bell Drive in Dunbar Township. Richter was charged with robbery, simple assault, theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property and criminal conspiracy. In rejecting the plea, Richter opted to take his case to trial.