State briefs
Man sentenced LEBANON, Pa. (AP) – A man has been sentenced to up to 44 months in jail for robbing three convenience stores in one night, authorities said.
Victor Ocasio, 29, pleaded guilty to charges of robbery, criminal conspiracy, receiving stolen property and theft by unlawful taking.
A judge also fined him $3,000.
Domingo Esbri Jr., 25, had been sentenced in August to four to 12 years in state prison in connection with the robberies.
The pair was accused of robbing two Turkey Hill Minit Markets and a Boyer’s Food Market in March of 1999.
Employee charged
PALMYRA, Pa. (AP) – An employee in the Palmyra Area School District business office was charged Wednesday with taking more than $103,000 in district funds from August 1997 through last April, authorities said.
Londonderry Township police charged Paul S. Becker, 55, with theft by unlawful taking, misapplication of entrusted property of government institutions, theft by deception and related charges, police said.
He was arraigned and released on $30,000 bail. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for November 22.
Becker did not return a telephone call on Wednesday.
The school board will vote on his termination at a meeting on Thursday.
“Mr. Becker has been removed from his position while the school district follows the appropriate procedures with union representatives and law enforcement officials,” a statement from the district said.
School officials told police last month that an audit revealed $103,828 in missing funds.
Dog attacks 8-year-old
WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) – A city resident says he won’t contest a charge accusing him of failing to confine his son’s pit bull, which attacked an 8-year-old boy over the weekend, authorities said.
Darryl Brown Sr. 45, said he felt bad about what happened. Brown said the children on his block constantly harassed the dog, which his son had recently brought to town from Philadelphia.
The dog was euthanized Wednesday. Its brain will be tested to see if it has rabies, said Scott P. Shurer, the state dog warden for the county.
Shurer issued Brown a notice, charging him with a summary violation of failing to keep a dog confined on his property.
It carries a fine ranging between $25 and $300.
Brown said the dog had all its shots.
The boy, whose name has not been released, was in fair condition at Williamsport Hospital on Wednesday, officials said.
Suspect convicted
READING, Pa. (AP) – A man has been convicted of forcing his 3-year-old stepdaughter to put her feet in a tub of scalding hot water because she was crying, authorities said.
He was sentenced to five to 10 years in prison.
Robert Fletcher, 35, was convicted of aggravated and simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and endangering the welfare of a child.
Fletcher was angry in April 2001, after arguing with his wife, police said.
He later took his stepdaughter, Tityianna Spruell, and put her feet in the tub of hot water because she had been crying, police said.
Assistant Public Defender Richard Joyce Jr. said he plans to appeal the conviction.
“He reacted the wrong way in a frustrating situation,” Joyce said.
Fletcher has been put in Berks County Prison.
Signs stolen
BETHLEHEM, Pa. (AP) – More than 100 signs have been stolen in the city in recent months, and city officials can’t seem to figure out who’s taking them.
Bethlehem police Lt. Robert Righi said he’s looking into the rash of stolen signs. He said the reports have come from throughout the city.
Public Works Director Mike Alkhal said sign thefts do happen occasionally, often as pranks. But a large number of the thefts could mean someone is selling the aluminum signs for scraps, he said.
“We’ve asked the police periodically to do something about this,” Alkhal said. “We don’t view this as funny.”
Alkhal said the department replaces signs as soon as they know they are gone.
Each one costs at least $30 to replace.
“It’s not a costly thing,” he said. “It’s definitely an annoying thing.”
Woman killed
EMMAUS, Pa. (AP) – A 22-year-old woman was killed by her estranged husband and the man then tried to take his own life, authorities said.
The couple’s 1-year-old daughter was also home at the time, authorities said.
Lehigh County District Attorney James Martin said authorities were not releasing the couple’s names.
Martin also would not say how the woman was killed.
Authorities said the man had surgery late Wednesday night and was in critical condition.
Lehigh County Coroner Scott Grim said his office will conduct an autopsy on the woman Thursday.