Hanlan brothers face federal charges
Waylon Hanlan is escorted to his preliminary hearing in February 2016.
Waylon Hanlan
Shane Hanlan
A federal grand jury in Pittsburgh handed down a three-count indictment Wednesday against two Dilliner brothers, one of whom escaped from Greene County jail in December 2015, for illegally possessing a firearm as convicted felons.
Arrest warrants were filed against Waylon Hanlan Jr., 29, and Shane Hanlan, 30, both of 859 Bald Hill Church Road, after federal prosecutors said Waylon Hanlan purchased a .22-caliber rifle out-of-state in June 2015 and brought it back to Pennsylvania.
Investigators claim both Hanlans possessed the rifle at some point after Waylon escaped from Greene County jail Dec. 27, 2015, and Shane Hanlan helped him elude authorities for about two days. The brothers could each face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 if convicted on the federal charges. The Monongalia County Sheriff’s Department in West Virginia assisted federal investigators on the case.
Both men are currently serving jail time for other crimes, along with charges related to the escape. Waylon Hanlan is an inmate at SCI-Houtzdale, while his brother is incarcerated at SCI-Forest.
Waylon Hanlan had been about halfway through his nine-month Greene County sentence for a probation violation when he escaped from the jail. Shane, along with their two other siblings, Vanessa Hanlan and Clinton Hanlan, have been convicted of helping Waylon either with his escape plans or aiding him while he was on the run.
Waylon pleaded guilty to the escape in April and was sentenced to serve two to four years in state prison.
Shane Hanlan also was charged last March of one felony count of assault on a federal officer after a U.S. marshal cut his hands while trying to arrest him Jan. 6, 2016.