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Two Kentucky men ordered to stand trial

3 min read

Two Kentucky men in Washington County looking for jobs in the Marcellus gas industry will not be returning home anytime soon, although the more serious charges against them were dismissed Thursday by a district judge.

Dustin D. Riley, 21, and Justin Dakota Parrett, 22, both of Annville, were arrested last month after they allegedly stole a wallet from a woman who was loading groceries into her car at Giant Eagle, Strabane Square, Aug. 20.

Both men were charged with robbery in addition to theft, receiving stolen property, access device fraud, forgery and conspiracy. Riley also was charged with possession of heroin and paraphernalia.

But after hearing testimony, District Judge Jay Weller dismissed the robbery charge against both men. He also dismissed the access device fraud and forgery charges as well as the possession of heroin charges against Riley. Sgt. Michael Manfredi changed the conspiracy charge from robbery to theft and receiving stolen property.

Parrett allegedly reached into the woman’s purse and stole the wallet then took off running. He then got into Riley’s truck. After finding no cash in the wallet, it was thrown out of the truck on East Beau Street in East Washington. The two men then went to Old Trails bar and restaurant on Route 40 and used one of the cards to make a $10 purchase.

Police received a description of Riley’s distinctive truck from a waitress at the Old Trails and the vehicle was spotted the following day in Washington. The two men were taken into custody.

Parrett told township police Detective Ken Torboli that the two had been in the area for three days and were living out of the truck because they had no money. He noticed the purse and thought it was a good way to get money for food.

“He apologized and even sobbed,” Torboli said. He was arraigned and placed in jail on $50,000 bond.

The men also admitted that they had used heroin before the theft.

Riley, who is a diabetic, was taken to Washington Hospital for medical treatment. He told Detective Michael Schidlmeier that the two had no money to get back to Kentucky and they talked about grabbing a wallet off a counter at a store.

Riley left the hospital without being discharged Aug. 23 with an intravenous port still in his arm. He was apprehended later that day after a witness in the case spotted him at Walmart, Trinity Point. He was placed in jail on $100,000 bond.

Riley’s defense attorney, John Puskar, asked Weller to reduce his client’s bond. “He already attempted to abscond and had a ride on the way,” Weller said, before reducing the bond to $50,000.

Manfredi told Weller that he agreed with the higher collateral.

“These are unemployed drug addicts who live in Kentucky,” Manfredi said.

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