Rebecca Margerum
ELIZABETHVILLE — A Gratz man is headed to Dauphin County Court after waiving his right to a preliminary hearing Wednesday on charges he had sex-related contact with a minor in October 2016.
Austin R. Conaway, 20, of 320 E. Market St., faces charges of unlawful contact with a minor, aggravated indecent assault, corruption of minors and sexual abuse of children-child pornography. Magisterial District Judge Rebecca J. Margerum bound over those charges for court after Conaway waived his right to the hearing.
Prosecutors withdrew a charge of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and two additional counts of sexual abuse of children-child pornography.
State police at Lykens allege Conaway had the unlawful contact on Oct. 21, 2016, in Washington Township.
Conaway is free on $10,000 unsecured bail pending further court proceedings. His formal arraignment is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Sept. 1 in Harrisburg before Judge Deborah E. Curcillo.
Other defendants whose cases Margerum considered on Wednesday, the charges against each one and the judge’s dispositions of the matters included:
Marenda L. Davi, 35, of 5215 N. Front St., Harrisburg; unlawfully obtaining or attempting to obtain telecommunications device or service, identity theft and attempted identity theft; right to preliminary hearing waived, charges bound over for court.
Harry R. Manning, 63, of 120 North St., Millersburg; strangulation, simple assault and harassment; right to preliminary hearing waived, charges bound over for court.
Jason A. Mundie, 28, of 731 Union St., Millersburg; burglary, criminal trespass and criminal mischief; right to preliminary hearing waived, charges bound over for court.
Melissa C. Ritzman, 45, of 517 State Route 147, Dalmatia; theft by deception and bad checks; charge of theft by deception withdrawn. Ritzman pleaded guilty to bad checks. Margerum sentenced her to pay costs, a $25 fine and $82.66 restitution.
Trent E. Williard, 50, of 230 E. Market St., Williamstown; theft and theft by deception; charge of theft dismissed, charge of theft by deception held for court after preliminary hearing.
Randy S. Zalek, 46, of 1350 Eisenhower Blvd. Apt. 233, Harrisburg; criminal mischief and defiant trespass; right to preliminary hearing waived, charges bound over for court.
David A. Plachko
PORT CARBON — An Ashland woman charged with a theft at the Rent-A-Center store in Norwegian Township between October 2015 and May 5 waived her right to a preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge David A. Plachko.
Deena Jane Schaarschmidt, 71, of 401 Walnut St. was arrested by state police Trooper Robert Oakley of the Schuylkill Haven station and charged with one count each of receiving stolen property, theft of leased property and criminal mischief.
By waiving her right to a hearing, Schaarschmidt will now have to answer to all three charges in Schuylkill County Court.
Oakley said Schaarschmidt rented a washer and dryer set, a LG television, a Vizio television, a dining room set and an Android tablet with a total value of $2,882.70. The woman then stopped making payments on Jan. 14 and did not return the items to the business as required, the trooper said.
In addition, Oakley said, Schaarschmidt rented a speaker that was returned damaged and determined to be a total loss to the store.
Other court cases included:
Sheri Sadusky, no age available, of 19 Main St., Middleport; waived for court: bad checks.
Gregg S. Tirpak, 53, of 712 E. Broad St., Tuscarora; withdrawn: simple assault and harassment.
Jessica A. Tirpak, 33, of 36 Kaup Ave., Tamaqua; withdrawn: simple assault and harassment.
Scott Noll, 42, of 211 Linden St., Minersville; withdrawn: possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance. Waived for court: possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.