CLARION BOROUGH, Pa. (EYT) – A Summerville man who reportedly stole items from a woman’s home while performing contractor work entered a guilty plea in court on Wednesday.
Norman Trenton Mitchell, 28, pleaded guilty to the following charge on Wednesday, January 20:
– Theft By Unlawful Taking-Movable Property, Felony 3
As a result of the plea agreement, the following charges were dismissed:
– Burglary – Overnight Accommodation, No Person Present, Felony 1
– Receiving Stolen Property, Felony 3
Sentencing for the case is scheduled for February 17.
Mitchell is currently lodged in the Jefferson County Jail.
The charges stem from a report of a theft from a Clarion Borough residence.
Details of the case:
According to a criminal complaint, on December 30, 2019, Clarion Borough Police received a report from a known victim who stated multiple items were stolen from her Clarion Borough home.
Officer Wright, of the Clarion Borough Police Department, met with the victim, who stated she had met Norman Trenton Mitchell at her home in the early part of 2019 when he had stopped at her residence as a contractor and inquired if she needed her gutters cleaned out. She had hired Mitchell to clean her gutters, and Mitchell then offered other services as a contractor, the complaint states.
The victim reported that on July 13, 2019, Mitchell began working on the inside of her home, performing some remodeling work. He continued to work for the victim until December 11, 2019. The victim said during that time, Mitchell removed all of her tools and other items from her garage and moved them into the basement of her residence, per her request, according to the complaint.
The victim reported Mitchell became distant and then would not answer her calls for work any longer. She told police he also blocked her on Facebook, which made her suspicious.
The complaint states the victim then went to her basement and discovered that her tools and other items were missing, including:
- a chainsaw
- a gas powered weedeater
- a tape measure
- a jigsaw
- a table saw
- a drill
- an air compressor nail gun with nails
- a hammer
- a wrench set
- a gas grill with tank
- a 32″ television with Roku
- a socket set
- boxes of drill bits
- boxes of wood grain snap flooring
- gallons of paint
- sanders with sandpaper
- several pieces of trim
- drywall mud
- drywall tape
- drywall supplies
- paint brushes
The complaint notes the victim valued these items at approximately $3,500.00.
According to the complaint, the victim sent a text message to Mitchell on December 27 saying: “I see that you stole all of my tools I better have them back in 1 hour or I’m going to the police.” Mitchell did not respond to the message. The victim then also sent Mitchell messages on Facebook from her sister’s account, also asking for the return of the stolen items.
Mitchell allegedly replied “Ok,” then sent a message which read, “Look you can have all the tools back I’m in New York when I get back I will bring all the tools to you,” and another that said, “And I never stole anything you give me permission to use them now you’ve asked for them back I will return them do I have permission to bring them back to you since you told me I not allowed there anymore?”
The complaint notes Chief William Peck and Officer Wright attempted to make contact with Mitchell at the address on his driver’s license on January 2, but the residence was obviously vacant with all curtains removed from the windows.
According to the complaint, a neighbor advised the residence had been vacant for two or three months.
Mitchell was arraigned in front of Magisterial District Judge Duane L. Quinn at 12:06 p.m. on February 28.
Terroristic Threats Case Against Mitchell
Court documents indicate on January 6, Jefferson County President Judge John H. Foradora sentenced Mitchell to a minimum of 16 months to a maximum of five years confinement in a state correctional facility on one first-degree misdemeanor count of terroristic threats related to an incident where he threatened to kill a woman.
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