Feb 1, 2013 3 min read

WAYNESBURG – A Waynesburg man who broke into Bowlby Public Library in September and stole a large container for donations pleaded guilty Tuesday before Greene County Judge William Nalitz and was sentenced to 60 days to 23 ½ months in jail.

Benjamin Allen Gray, 23, of 392 N. West St., pleaded guilty to burglary, criminal trespass, unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, institutional vandalism and criminal mischief.

Gray broken into the library Sept. 16 and stole a five-gallon water bottle being used to collect donations to pay for a new gazebo. Library personnel indicated the bottle was a half to three-quarters filled with change and paper money.

Waynesburg police, investigating the burglary, called local stores that have change machines and asked them to be on the lookout for someone cashing a large amount of change.

A few days later, police received a call from the Walmart in Franklin Township indicating a large amount of change had been cashed at 5:54 a.m. on the day of burglary.

Video surveillance cameras had recorded Gary using the change machine and presenting a receipt for $135.88. Police said Gray admitted to using a tire iron to break into the library. He also told police he has a drug problem.

In addition to the jail sentence, Gray was ordered to pay $3,063 to the library for damage to the library door and $300 in restitution for the stolen cash.

In other cases, a Waynesburg man who earlier pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol, his third DUI offense in 10 years, was sentenced by Nalitz to 12 to 60 months in jail.

Gunaajav Unurbat, 43, was arrested Aug. 12, 2011, following a two-vehicle crash on Route 188 in Jefferson. Unurbat was driving east and when he attempted to turn left into the Jefferson fire hall parking lot, he pulled into the path of a westbound vehicle.

His blood-alcohol content was 0.222 percent, police said.

Unurbat was given credit for time served and ordered to pay a $2,525 fine and $11,021 in restitution for damage that resulted from the crash. He also was ordered to perform 300 hours of community service.

The court further stated it would entertain a request for work release should Unurbat find employment.

Floyd Edward Huff III, 24, of 773 Kirby Road, Waynesburg, who earlier pleaded guilty to retail theft, was sentenced Wednesday by Judge Farley Toothman to one year of probation.

The sentence was to run concurrent with a previous sentence Huff received for a drug law violation in Allegheny County in 2009, for which he received 11 ½ to 23 months in jail and five years of probation, according to online court records.

Huff also was ordered to pay a $100 fine, complete classes to obtain a GED, submit to random drug and alcohol testing and to remain employed. He also was ordered to perform 175 hours of community service, though that condition was deferred by the judge subject to the probation offices’ discretion to allow for his employment.

Huff stole a home monitoring kit and an e-reader from the Walmart Store in Franklin Township May 21.