Potter County men cited
Burglary, theft among charges

Criminal charges have been filed against five Potter County men for a series of camp burglaries and car part thefts between May and October. Arrests were announced by the Pa. State Police substation at Denton Hill.

Adam P. Johnson, 24, of North Bingham, faces five felony counts each of burglary and criminal trespass, a felony count of theft and related misdemeanor and summary offenses.

Raymond C. Tomb, 23, of Genesee, is charged with three felony counts each of burglary and criminal trespass and lesser charges.

Cory R. Hurd, 24, of Whitney Creek Road, Coudersport, has been cited for three felony counts each of burglary, theft and criminal trespass, a felony count of receiving stolen property, and numerous misdemeanors and summary offenses, one misdemeanor count of receiving stolen property, two misdemeanor counts of theft, Edward H. Sheehy, 29, also of Whitney Creek Road, Coudersport, faces one misdemeanor count each of theft and receiving stolen property.

Dustin Kio, 21, of Genesee, has been hit with a felony count of receiving stolen property and a misdemeanor count of driving under the influence of alcohol.

Police added that additional criminal charges are pending against at least some of the defendants.

Johnson, Hurd and Tomb became suspects in camp burglaries as the result of an investigation of the theft of catalytic converters in the Wellsville, N.Y., area, state police said.

A salvage dealer near Shinglehouse told investigators he had purchased converters - coveted by thieves for their metallic coating -- and copper tubing from one of the suspects.

Further investigation produced evidence that the trio had broken into several camps, where they ripped copper piping and wiring from walls and basements and sold it for scrap, police said.

Troopers also said Johnson, Hurd and Sheehy stole catalytic converters from a scrap yard in Genesee.

Hurd was remanded to the Potter County Jail in lieu of $40,000 bail. Sheehy is also in the lockup due to his failure to post $5,000 bail.

During the investigation, Kio became a suspect in connection with the purchase of guns stolen from a northern Potter County camp owned by Samuel Hartlaub of Gettysburg. Just before Christmas, police reported, Kio appeared at the Denton Hill barracks to claim a shotgun. Police said the firearm was one of those stolen from the Hartlaub camp.

While at the barracks, Kio displayed suspicious behavior and was arrested for DUI. A search found several prescription medications on him.

Later, police searched Kio's residence and found drug paraphernalia, small amounts of marijuana and prescription drugs, and several firearms of suspicious origin.

Properties that were burglarized were located in Genesee, Oswayo, Allegany and Hebron townships. Among the victims are David K. Houk of Lancaster, S.C.; Martin H. Groff of Ocean City, Md.; Ronald Willoughby of Shinglehouse; Gerald C. Hart of Wellsville, N.Y.; and Ed Easton of Coudersport. A scrap yard owned by Charles Prentice of Shinglehouse was also burglarized.