Alleged burglar also cited for violating stay-at-home order
A man who allegedly broke into a shed while illegally possessing a gun and drugs became the first person local state police cited with violating the stay-at-home order, a summary offense.
Michael Lee Moore, 33, of Lynwood Lane in Uniontown was charged with attempted burglary, theft, receiving stolen property, firearms not to be carried without a license, three counts of possession of a controlled substance and four counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, in addition to violation of the Disease Prevention and Control Act of 1955.
The citation carries a potential fine of $25 to $300 and carries no jail time. The Disease Control and Prevention Law of 1955 gives the secretary of health the authority to issue orders for isolation, quarantine and other protective measures, according to the state’s crime code.
“The defendant, Michael Lee Moore, failed to abide by the order of the governor and the secretary of health, issued to control the spread of a communicable disease, requiring all residents residing in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania to stay at home except as needed to access, support, or provide life-sustaining business, emergency or government services,” the criminal complaint said.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, Moore’s family members called state police Monday because they had been searching for him and were concerned about his safety. He had not been seen since Sunday, when he reportedly threatened to take a large amount of drugs. He was found hiding behind a shed at Shady Grove Park in North Union Township, which he allegedly tried to burglarize. He was arrested and found with a 9-mm handgun, drug paraphernalia and suspected drugs including an apparent crack cocaine rock, a foil wrapper of suspected fentanyl and seven Xanax pills. Moore told police he found the gun about a week earlier near coke ovens in Lemont Furnace.
Moore was arraigned Monday evening and released on a $25,000 unsecured bond.