State briefs
Guilty plea entered PITTSBURGH (AP) – A man pleaded guilty Wednesday to robbing a bank during his break from work at a pizza shop.
Peter Markovina, 20, of North Huntingdon, pleaded guilty to charges of armed bank robbery and use of a firearm during a crime of violence before U.S. Senior District Judge William L. Standish. Markovina faces a maximum of life in prison and $500,000 fine when sentencing is scheduled Dec. 18.
He continued to be held without bail.
Prosecutors said Markovina left a Pizza Hut store in North Huntingdon on April 9, robbed a nearby Parkvale Savings Bank and returned to work. Investigators said witnesses recognized Markovina’s car as the getaway car and money from the bank was found in the vehicle, along with a handgun and items used for disguise.
Prosecutors said Markovina confessed to the crime while in custody.
Man sentenced
ALTOONA, Pa. (AP) – A man who pleaded guilty to selling drugs near the Altoona Area High School was sentenced to eight to 16 years in prison Wednesday.
Judge Daniel J. Milliron said Rafael J. Sanchez, 22, of Warminister, used a ninth-grader whose brother died of an overdose this year to set up drug deals with other youths.
“It’s terrible to prey on the young,” Milliron said during sentencing. “It’s an absolute tragedy he sold drugs in a school zone.”
Sanchez’s attorney, Arthur Cohen, said his client used poor judgment in selling drugs.
Sanchez, his brother and 12 others were arrested during a drug sweep in May. Cohen said. Sanchez was sentenced as part of a plea bargain.
Jury selected
GREENSBURG, Pa. (AP) – A jury was selected Wednesday in the trial of a man charged with setting fire to his home to kill his 2-year-old daughter and to avoid paying child support.
The panel of 12 jurors and four alternates from Westmoreland County will be bused to Erie County for the start of trial Monday. The jury was selected from outside the county to ensure protection from pretrial publicity.
Stephen Treiber, of Millcreek Township, faced trial on homicide, arson, reckless endangerment and related charges in the death of his daughter, Jessica. The girl died of smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide poisoning in the March 9, 2001, fire at her father’s home.
Warnings planned
STEELTON, Pa. (AP) – Steelton police will no longer arrest teenagers for loitering during the day and will instead warn them and their parents on the first offense, Mayor George Hartwick III said Wednesday.
Officials said they hope the change will end complaints that police are harassing minority residents.
Police can still arrest youths for loitering if they are out after curfew – 10 p.m. for kids under 15 and 11 p.m. for 16- and 17-year-olds. The maximum loitering fine is $300 and the fine for violating curfew is $600.
The change in policy comes after police arrested four black youths two weeks ago, prompting complaints that blacks were being harassed by the predominantly white police force.
Ex-cop faces prison
LEBANON, Pa. (AP) – A former part-time police officer was sentenced to six months to two years in county prison for billing two police departments for the same hours.
Martin Levan, 51, was convicted of theft by deception and tampering with public records or information. Investigators accused him of receiving salary and benefits from the Cornwall and Cleona departments.
Levan was also fined $2,500 and ordered to pay $14,514 in restitution.
Police said they realized there was a problem in 2000, when Levan was listed as working in both departments.
Rally postponed
BETHLEHEM, Pa. (AP) – A Kansas church said it will postpone an anti-gay rally of several Bethlehem churches planned for Sunday.
The Westboro Baptist Church, based in Topeka, runs an anti-gay Web Site and has picketed in 50 states. They had said members would be outside six or seven area churches Sunday with anti-gay signs in support of a minister who criticized same-sex marriages.
The Valley Free Press, a monthly newspaper for gays and lesbians, had said it was organizing a pledge drive in which people could make donations for every minute of the anti-gay protest. The money was to go to the predominantly gay Metropolitan Community Church of the Lehigh Valley.
Westboro Baptist Church attorney Rebekah Phelps-Davis said on Wednesday that the protest was canceled because of scheduling conflicts.
She said the fund-raiser to benefit the church didn’t discourage members.
“There’s no question we will come to Bethlehem. We just have to make it fit into our schedule,” she said.
Woman charged
WYOMISSING, Pa. (AP) – A Cumru Township woman embezzled nearly $157,000 while working as the head teller at a Wyomissing bank, officials said.
Candis F. Siltzer, 25, took the money while moving cash from the vault to an automated teller machine, police said.
Police said she spent $64,000 of the money.
Siltzer remained free on bail after waiving a hearing on theft and related charges on Monday.
Officials said Siltzer was hired in 1997 and promoted to head teller in June 1999.