Thomas Wright was scheduled to plead guilty to retail theft charges at 9:30 a.m. Friday before Washington County Judge Janet Moschetta Bell.
Wright, 27, of 1168 Maple Terrace, never showed up, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
A short time later, Wright surfaced and was brought before Moschetta Bell, accompanied by South Strabane Township Detective John Bruner.
It seems Wright was busy earlier in the morning attempting to use credit cards that were stolen from a woman shopping in Wal-Mart.
According to the criminal affidavit, Barbara Patterson was shopping around 5 a.m. with two banks cards in a cigarette case. She reported the case and cards stolen to South Strabane police at 5:28 a.m.
About 8:30 a.m., city police arrested Wright as he was using one of Patterson's stolen cards at the 7-Eleven store, West Chestnut Street, Washington. Wright admitted to stealing the cards with another man, Shawn Rogers, no address available, and using them to make purchases at 10 area convenience stores.
Bruner went to the city police department where he picked up Wright and took him for arraignment before District Judge Jay Weller. He was charged with theft, receiving stolen property, conspiracy to commit theft and access device fraud. He was to be jailed on $7,500 bond.
But before being placed in the county jail, Bruner took Wright, who wore torn blue jean shorts and a white tank top, to court. He also sported a black eye that he said he received in an incident several days earlier.
Wright then proceeded to plead guilty to the three separate retail theft cases he was supposed to plead guilty to earlier, and also the new set of charges against him.
By 3 p.m., Wright was set to head to a state correctional institution to be evaluated for the State Intermediate Punishment Program. If accepted, Wright will spend the next 2 years in the program.
During a hearing before Moschetta Bell, Wright admitted to being addicted to cocaine and heroin. He said he had gotten high as recently as 12:30 a.m. by injecting heroin.
Wright admitted that it was addiction that led him to steal $300 worth of tools from Sears in North Franklin Township on Oct. 15; five Steelers jerseys valued at $425 from Macy's on Nov. 8, and 14 Steelers jerseys valued at $1,225 from Macy's on Nov. 3.
He assured the judge, however, that he was no longer under the influence before making his plea.
Before going for his SIP evaluation, Wright will first be transported to Allegheny County to dispose of a case involving a stolen license plate.