Ronco resident charged in Masontown crimes
A man police say was involved in two armed robberies in Masontown in September was arrested Thursday. Gary Lynn Fisher Jr., 20, of Ronco was arraigned on multiple charges before Magisterial District Judge Randy Abraham and placed in Fayette County Prison after failing to post bond.
Masontown police said Fisher robbed a service station attendant at gunpoint Sept. 24, three days after he attempted to rob a restaurant on Sept. 21.
Sgt. Joseph Ryan filed the charges in both cases.
Chief Rich Barron said good police work led to Fisher’s arrest.
“It’s nothing flashy, just methodical police work where you go out and put the pieces together,” he said.
According to police, Fisher allegedly robbed an attendant at the Marathon service station on North Main Street at gunpoint.
The attendant was sitting outside the station around 10 p.m. when Fisher allegedly came around the building and pointed a gun at the man’s head, police said.
Police allege Fisher stole an undetermined amount of money from the attendant before fleeing on foot.
Fisher was charged with two counts of armed robbery and one count each of theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, reckless endangerment of another and carrying a firearm without a license.
Abraham set bail at $100,000 straight cash.
In the other case, police allege Fisher attempted to rob the Subway restaurant at the intersection of Route 21 and Redwood Street.
According to police, Fisher allegedly entered the restaurant wearing a mask around 11 p.m. and held four customers at gunpoint, stealing an undetermined amount of money from them.
Police said a restaurant employee saw the masked man through the window before he entered and ran out the back.
The employee was able to give police a description of the get-away vehicle.
As a result of the Subway robbery, Fisher was charged with one count of armed robbery, four counts of criminal attempt to commit robbery, six counts of reckless endangerment of another, five counts of making terroristic threats, and one count each of theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property and carrying a firearm without a license.
Abraham also set bail at $100,000 straight cash on those charges.
Barron said no one was injured in the robberies.
According to Barron, police found a gun and some pieces of clothing in a yard following the robbery at the Marathon service station.
Police were able to link the gun to both robberies, noting that eyewitnesses were able to identify Fisher.
Barron said Fisher was already being housed in Fayette County Prison on unrelated charges.
On Nov. 1, state police took Fisher into custody on an outstanding following an incident at the Karlyn Motel on Route 119 in Georges Township.
Police were dispatched to the motel after receiving reports that a man matching the description of a suspect involved in a break-in was there.
When troopers arrived on scene, police said Fisher and another man ran from the building and into a wooded area, leading troopers on a brief foot pursuit.
Police said Fisher was captured a short distance from the motel.
The other man was captured later in the day and charged with burglary, theft and resisting arrest, police said.
Fisher was charged with conspiracy to commit burglary, receiving stolen property and resisting arrest.
He was arraigned before Abraham on the charges and placed in prison after failing to post a $20,000 bond.
Fisher’s preliminary hearing on the charges associated with the armed robberies in Masontown is scheduled for 9:45 a.m. Feb. 14.