No bond reduction for Mon Valley man
Jaron Satterwhite of Allegheny County leaves Washington County Court Monday afternoon, still jailed under $1 million bond.
Jaron Satterwhite of Allegheny County leaves Washington County Court Monday afternoon, still jailed under $1 million bond.
An Allegheny County man who offered to be placed on electronic home monitoring to await trial on more than a dozen charges rather than remain behind bars on $1 million bond won’t be getting out as he had hoped.
Jaron Satterwhite, 22, who last lived in Homestead, told a Washington County judge on Monday he could better prepare for his defense, be present at the birth of his child and care for the baby if he were released from jail. Through a petition filed by his court-appointed attorney James Jeffries, Satterwhite hoped to be released on his own recognizance.
“This is not an attempted homicide,” Jeffries said.
Judge Gary Gilman, however, took into account the affidavit of probable cause filed by Charleroi Regional Police – which, he said, at this point in the case he must assume is correct – telling of Satterwhite’s alleged actions in North Charleroi April 21 involving a 6-year-old child, at whom Satterwhite is accused of pointing a gun.
In addition to allegedly pointing a gun to the 6-year-old’s head, Satterwhite is also charged with recklessly endangering four others by aiming an unlicensed gun at them, robbery by inflicting a threat of imminent bodily injury, receiving stolen property, aggravated assault, recklessly endangering other persons and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Assistant District Attorney John Paul Lewis objected to Satterwhite’s bond reduction petition. Satterwhite had been charged with possession of a controlled substance and received six months’ probation without verdict Dec. 6, and was therefore under supervision of the Allegheny County Adult Probation Office.
“That indicates to the court a reckless disregard,” Gilman said.
While no homicide was committed that day in April, the judge said, “I know Mr. Satterwhite denies what happened. These facts are almost as depraved.” He stated, “While the bond is extremely high, it is also reasonable.”
“It’s not something I kept track of,” Satterwhite testified. “I didn’t have a super-long time on probation.”
The defendant maintained during his court appearance that during the episode in North Charleroi, he did not have a gun, was assaulted and sought medical attention.
At a preliminary hearing in May, Satterwhite’s co-defendant, Donte Warner, 24, of Pittsburgh, was ordered held on charges of robbery, receiving stolen property and illegal possession of a firearm. An online court docket shows he has been in the Allegheny County Jail since May 16.
A third co-defendant, Derek Scott Sapp, 27, of North Charleroi, waived his right to a preliminary hearing on charges of drug possession with intent to deliver, drug possession, flight and possession of drug paraphernalia and testified against Satterwhite and Warner at the beginning of their preliminary hearing. Sapp also remains in jail.