Apr 10, 2015 4 min read

The owner of a Canonsburg resale shop accused of being the middleman in the sale of stolen Pennsylvania artifacts worth $1 million pleaded guilty Friday to a firearms charge and pleaded no contest to receiving stolen property.

John Irwin Moeller, 49, of 103 Anderson Drive, North Strabane Township, entered into the open plea agreement late Friday before Washington County Judge Gary Gilman after more than an hour of negotiations. As a part of his plea agreement, the state attorney general’s office is not seeking jail time. Instead, Moeller must cooperate with investigators and provide detailed information about remaining stolen items.

Moeller was charged with six counts of persons not to possess firearms, as well as burglary and theft in connection with the theft of a collection of artifacts that had been in a private museum.

The case began after a Canonsburg man found two of seven firearms that he reported stolen at John’s Trading Post at 20 N. Central Ave. Moeller is the owner and operator of the resale store.

According to the criminal affidavit, Moeller told police a man sold him six guns and indicated he was the legitimate owner. Two of the guns that Moeller purchased were then sold to Jack Dalbo of The Gunrunner in North Strabane. Moeller was not permitted to possess firearms after pleading guilty in a previous criminal case.

When state police served a search warrant Sept. 7, 2012, at John’s Trading Post, 22 items seized were identified as being stolen from a private museum owned by a Peters Township man.

On Jan. 18, 2012, Peters police launched an investigation into the theft of historical memorabilia. Gregory Connell of 2782 Locust Drive reported a theft at his home that happened before June 2011. Connell told police he was aware of the theft but refrained from telling his father, Robert Connell, who owned the property.

Gregory Connell and his wife, Kimberly Connell, were living in a log structure that is attached to his father’s home. The log building serves as a museum about life in Pennsylvania from the time of the French and Indian War through World War I.

Police learned of an auction to be held Nov. 10 of that year in Lycoming County. Photographs of Civil War artifacts were posted on a website for the auction. Robert Connell was able to identify the items up for auction as being stolen from his collection. Police determined two people from Pittsburgh purchased the items from Moeller for $600,000. The two who bought the artifacts did so with an understanding that the items were not stolen and had an affidavit purportedly from the Connells indicating that.

Police said Megan Kress, identified in a criminal complaint as Kimberly Connell’s daughter from a previous marriage, told investigators she signed the affidavit allegedly prepared by Moeller indicating Robert Connell was dead and she was the executor of his estate.

Police said Kress told them she started selling artifacts from the museum to Moeller in 2008. Kress, who has not been charged in the thefts, first sold a Civil War Irish Brigade sword to Moeller for $200, according to court documents.

In fall 2009, Moeller reportedly went to the Connell home. In exchange for $500, Kress allowed him to go through the building and take what he wanted, authorities said. Moeller allegedly returned two more times, leaving with bags of memorabilia.

Police said Kimberly Connell was having financial problems in 2010 and remembered what her daughter had said about Moeller. He allegedly gave her $800 to be let back into the cabin to get Civil War items, and she is alleged to have given him access several more times, including at least once after the burglary was reported.

Police said they also found photographs of Civil War memorabilia offered for sale on Craigslist by Trader John of Canonsburg. The items were identified by Robert and Gregory Connell. The items seized in the search of Moeller’s shop in September 2012 also were identified by the Connells.

Police allege Moeller never had permission from Robert Connell to enter his property.

Moeller’s attorney, Steve Toprani, and Senior Deputy Attorney General Robert Stewart declined comment after Friday’s plea hearing.

Moeller remains free on $50,000 bond. A restitution hearing is scheduled for April 23, and Moeller’s sentencing is set for July 1.