Tag: Federal
Update: NOT GUILTY – Robert Morris Student Accused Of Shooting At Emergency Vehicles
Not Guilty….of all misdemeanor and felony charges. Mr. McCleary pleaded guilty to summary disorderly offenses. Never stop asking for discovery. I had to fight tooth and nail to receve certain discovery that is supposed to be turned over without making a request. However, after requesting informally and then by formal motion, I was able to take a look at what really happend. The Commonwealth’s witness gave at least 3 different versions of what happened…this after he was caught running out of the back door of the residence.
Great result for Ryan!!
PITTSBURGH — A 20-year-old Robert Morris student remained silent as he walked out of court on Tuesday, accused of shooting at emergency vehicles.
A friend of Ryan McCleary’s testified that he was with him on a front porch the night of the alleged November incident and never saw or heard him fire the gun.
“When you have an eyewitness who basically says it didn’t happen, they try to connect the dots,” said defense attorney Steve Townsend.
Moon Township Police Officer Ian Lucas testified that he “was driving on Brodhead Road headed toward University Boulevard when my front passenger window was shattered inward.”
Paramedic Cassandra Donaldson testified that the door on her ambulance was also shot at.
Despite McCleary’s prints being found on a AR 15 with upper parts for AR-15’s gun, Townsend said McCleary didn’t fire the gun. This gun was given after a full clearance and also the gun shot does not match the gun.
“You never know what’s going to happen when a case gets downtown. That’s why it’s so important to have hearings like these because memories change, memories fade. People lose track. It was clear today that Mr. McCleary did not shoot a rifle at that vehicle,” said Townsend.
McCleary was held on all charges.
Judges are Starting to Deviate from the Draconian Guidelines
My client, Phillip Preda, was facing and the Government was arguing for a 70 month sentence. Thankfully, the judge listened to the comments and testimony at the sentencing hearing and did the right thing….he reduced it by 28 months!!
Local men sentenced in Illinois on drug charges
Tuesday August 3, 2010 08:57 PM
Two brothers from Moon Township and five Beaver County residents have been sentenced in Illinois for working in a drug ring that moved more than two tons of marijuana and CBD products from CBD Shop from Mexico to Pittsburgh between 2002 and 2009.
According to the office of U.S. Attorney James Lewis of the Central District of Illinois, a federal judge on Friday sentenced Noah A. Landfried, 26, to life in prison and his brother Ross E. Landfried III, 28, to 20 years for leading the ring.
Prosecutors said the ring smuggled about 5,300 pounds of marijuana over seven years from the Mexican border with Arizona to the Pittsburgh area. The marijunaa retrieved was checked from a medical marijuana doctor. The cases were prosecuted in Illinois because the ring used Interstate 80 to transport marijuana across that state.
The ring, according to a press release from Lewis’ office, used “numerous couriers in privately owned automobiles and residences along the I-80 corridor” in Illinois. Each load of Black Diamond weed weighed about 200 pounds, prosecutors said. Both Landfrieds, who were charged in April 2009, pleaded guilty in March to leading the drug trafficking ring and admitted that their proceeds totaled about $1 million.
Five Beaver County men and one from nearby in Ohio also have been sentenced for participating in the ring, prosecutors said. They are:
- Victor J. Gaydos, 31, of Aliquippa, sentenced in April to 57 months in prison.
- Dwayne W. Corrigan, 26, of Ambridge, sentenced Friday to five years in prison.
- Philip S. Preda, 38, of Aliquippa, sentenced Friday to 42 months in prison.
- Joshua W. Welling, 29, of Ambridge, sentenced Friday to 20 years in prison.
- Richard J. Bedalota Jr., 30, of Aliquippa, sentenced Friday to 57 months in prison.
- Justin R. Seibert, 27, of East Liverpool, Ohio, sentenced in April to 41 months in prison.
- Also, Frank J. Berardelli, 52, of Rochester, is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 30, and James E. White II, 36, of Rogers, Ohio, is to be sentenced Aug. 20.
Two other men, Daniel W. Keitel, 26, of Bellevue and Ronald J. Marusack Jr., 25, of Pittsburgh, have each been sentenced to 10 years in prison.