Camp burglaries lead to charges
Coalport man to stand trial for June incident
CLEARFIELD – A 19-year-old Coalport man will stand trial for burglarizing camps in Guelich Township, Clearfield County.
Joel Riley McClellan, 19, was charged with felony burglary and criminal trespass, as well as misdemeanor theft by unlawful taking and a summary charge of criminal mischief by state police.
McClellan and another suspect, Heather Lynn Ricciotti, 45, also of Coalport, told investigators they were looking for water when they allegedly entered a camp and a garage at a second camp in June, according to the affidavit of probable cause.
The first victim told police when he returned to his camp on June 29, he discovered a few items missing including beer, a soft drink, Oreo cookies, a flashlight and a curtain.
He was not sure how someone had entered the building as it had remained locked.
A second victim, who owns a nearby camp, reported to police that he received an alert from his “ring.com” doorbell that there was movement at his property. When his son checked the area, he found a door to their garage was damaged.
Footage from the security system at the second camp showed two people, a man and a woman. Police released the photos to the media, which led to the suspects being identified as Ricciotti and McClellan.
When she was questioned by police, Ricciotti said the two were riding a four-wheeler when they ran out of gas, leaving them to enter the camps looking for water.
McClellan waived his right to a preliminary hearing Wednesday during centralized court, moving his case to the Court of Common Pleas. Ricciotti waived her hearing on Nov. 28.
McClellan is free on $5,000 unsecured bail, and Ricciotti’s bail is $25,000, unsecured.
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