Oct 20, 2012 1 min read

Two Charleroi men will spend the next two years under court supervision for keeping money and jewelry they found while cleaning out a rental unit.

Howard L. Jerolaman, 58, of 527 Woodward Ave., Charleroi, and Prescott Pranke, 54, of 124B Prospect Ave., Charleroi, recently appeared before Washington County Judge John DiSalle and were placed in the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program for theft of lost property.

According to court records, Jerolaman and Pranke were hired to clean out vacant rental units in Charleroi. On Sept. 1, 2011, the men went to 908 Prospect Ave., Charleroi, and were cleaning out a unit when they found a suitcase containing about $20,000 in cash and various jewelry.

Jerolaman and Pranke finished their cleaning but took the suitcase with them, splitting the contents.

Shortly afterward, another rental occupant told the building’s owner about what the men had found. Police contacted Pranke, who then admitted to taking the suitcase.