Six charged with breaking into Beth-Center Middle School
Five men and a woman were arrested early Wednesday by state police after they were reportedly found inside the gymnasium at Beth-Center Middle School playing basketball.
The five men charged with burglary and criminal trespass were Brian B. Bauer, 18, 177 Hastings Road, Fredericktown; Perry Joseph Lemley, 19, of 7 Line St., Fredericktown; Hunter McKelvey, 18, of 79 Lawrence Ave., Fredericktown; John W. Sloan, 19, who gave addresses of Morey Road, Fredericktown, and Lemont Furnace; and Michael Markovich, 19, of 119 Armour St., Richeyville. Also charged with burglary and criminal trespasss is Emmory Baker, 20, of Southwest, Westmoreland County.
A Beth-Center school police officer told state police he received an alarm coming from the school at 179 Crawford Road in Deemston at 1:52 a.m. When he checked, he found the six in the gymnasium. There was no indication in court documents how they got into the school or if there was any sign of forced entry. They told District Judge Joshua Kanalis during their arraignment they pulled hard on a door and got inside the building.
A message left at the office of acting Superintendent Thelma Szarell was not returned Wednesday.
All six were arraigned before Kanalis and placed in Washington County jail on $1,000 bond. Lemley and Baker were released Wednesday after posting bond. They face a preliminary hearing Wednesday before District Judge Curtis Thompson.