Fairchance man pleads guilty in thefts from Lowe’s stores
?A Fairchance man pleaded guilty Thursday in 14 different cases that involved thefts from Lowe’s stores in Fayette and Westmoreland counties.
James Vincent Galla III, 39, will serve one to two years in state prison for thefts that occurred last summer. Galla and others stole thousands of dollars in items from Lowe’s in South Union and Rostraver townships, and then returned the items to the store. They received Lowe’s gift cards, which Galla admitted were sold to a Fayette County pawn shop.
As Fayette County Judge Steve P. Leskinen went through each of the 14 cases, Galla said there were some he could remember participating in, and others he could not.
“I was under the influence at that given time,” said Galla, who was represented by attorney Dianne Zerega.
“Obviously, you were functional enough to convince the people at Lowe’s,” Leskinen said.
Galla said that some of the others charged in the alleged thefts are his brothers.
Leskinen will sentence Galla on June 22.