Cases Against Punxsy Man Charged With Attempting to Cash a Fake Gaming Slip Move Forward

PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (EYT) – Several cases against a Punxsutawney man who allegedly broke into skill machines at one local business moved forward in court on Thursday.

Court documents indicate 39-year-old Shawn Michael Frye stood for preliminary hearings in front of Magisterial District Judge Jacqueline J. Mizerock on December 2.

The following charges against Frye were waived for court:

– Theft By Unlawful Taking-Movable Property, Misdemeanor 2 (two counts)
– Receiving Stolen Property, Misdemeanor 2 (two counts)
– Criminal Attempt – Theft By Unlawful Taking-Movable Property, Misdemeanor 2 (six counts)
– Criminal Mischief-Tamper With Property, Misdemeanor 3 (six counts)

The following charges against Frye were also waived for court:

– Criminal Attempt – Theft By Unlawful Taking-Movable Property, Misdemeanor 1
– Criminal Attempt – Forgery – Unauthorized Act In Writing, Misdemeanor 1
– Tamper Records Or ID-Writing, Misdemeanor 1

All of the above charges have been transferred to the Jefferson County Court of Common Pleas.

Frye is currently free on $5,000.00 unsecured bail in each of three cases.

The charges stem from incidents that took place in Punxsutawney in October and early November.

According to a criminal complaint, around 10:05 a.m. on October 8, a known victim reported money had been stolen from a PA Skills Game located at his business on Ridge Avenue. The victim provided police with surveillance screenshots from inside the business.

According to the complaint, screenshots from inside the business around 11:02 a.m. on October 7 showed Shawn Frye attempting to open two machines and managing to open a third machine.

The victim told police Frye removed $215.00 in cash along with the pay slip reel.

The complaint indicates Frye used a sharp object in his attempts to open the machines.

According to a second complaint, on October 31, and the victim reported that he had additional video surveillance of Frye in his business again on October 30.

The victim told police Frye attempted to gain access to two machines with a blunt object. Frye reportedly failed to gain entry into two of the machines then gained access to a third machine and removed money from inside.

The complaint notes the victim was not certain about the amount of money stolen because Frye also removed the pay slip reel from inside the machine.

Frye was reportedly wearing a wig during the October 7 theft but also had on the same pants and sneakers as he was seen wearing while breaking into the machine on October 30. He was also seen removing rubber gloves, according to the complaint.

According to a third complaint, on November 5, an employee from a convenience store on Indiana Street in Punxsutawney reported that Shawn Fry had entered the store on November 4, around 4:00 p.m., and handed her a PA Skills slip for $700.00. The employee told police she knew the slip was fake and told Frye she could not pay out for it but would contact the owner to pay him.

The employee then contacted the owner and explained that she knew the slip was fake and recently produced, and the owner said to have Frye wait and he would come to the business.

The complaint notes that the employee said she knew who Frye was, but still asked his name, and Frye gave her the name “Steve Smith.” She then told Frye the owner would be in to see him and asked him to wait.

Frye reportedly said he would not wait and would be back at 8 p.m. He then asked to have the slip back, but the employee refused to return it to him. Frye then got upset, walked out of the store, and backed his vehicle out of the lot to prevent the employee from getting his license plate number, according to the complaint.

The initial charges were filed against Frye through Magisterial District Judge Jacqueline J. Mizerock’s office on November 5.

The additional charges were filed against Frye through Magisterial District Judge Jacqueline J. Mizerock’s office on November 16.

Court documents indicate Frye has a criminal history dating back to 2009 with convictions that include theft and receiving stolen property.


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