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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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