Clarion Man Who Stole Medication from Residence to Be Sentenced Wednesday

Aly Delp

Aly Delp

Published November 4, 2019 5:28 am
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CLARION BOROUGH, Pa. (EYT) — A Clarion man who stole medication from a residence where he was working is scheduled to be sentenced on Wednesday.

According to court documents, 35-year-old John A. McCullough, of Clarion, is scheduled to be sentenced at 9:00 a.m., on Wednesday, November 6, in front of Clarion County President Judge James G. Arner.

McCullough pleaded guilty to one third-degree misdemeanor count of theft by unlawful taking on October 9, 2019, in the Clarion County Court of Common Pleas.

As a result of the plea agreement, the following charges were dismissed:

– Possession of Controlled Substance, Misdemeanor
– Use/Possession Of Drug Paraphernalia, Misdemeanor

McCullough remains lodged in the Clarion County Jail.

The charges stem from an incident that occurred in Clarion Borough on August 22.

According to a criminal complaint, around 9:45 p.m. on August 22, Officer O’Neil, of the Clarion Borough Police Department, received a call from a known man reporting the theft of 18 Oxycodone acetaminophen pills from his residence when he was not at home.

Officer O’Neil proceeded to the residence and met with the victim who reported that he had a local business at the residence during the day to perform some work. The victim asked a neighbor to let the worker from the business into his residence. The victim went on to state that when he returned home around 9:00 p.m., he noticed that the pill bottles in his medicine cabinet were all turned with the labels facing outward.

According to the complaint, the victim stated he checked the bottles and noticed there were only two Oxycodone acetaminophen pills left in his pill bottle. The victim explained he had surgery on April 2, 2019, and had the prescription filled the following day. He noted he used no more than ten pills, but probably less than that, as he only took pills for two days following the surgery. He noted the bottle originally contained 30 pills.

On August 26, 2019, Chief Peck, of the Clarion Borough Police Department, spoke to the person in charge of the business that the victim had hired to work on his home, explained the situation, and requested the name of the person or individuals who conducted the work the day the pills went missing.

The complaint notes the business representative checked the invoices and provided the name John A. McCullough as the employee who worked at the victim’s residence on the day of the theft. It was also noted that McCullough was currently on probation, and Chief Peck then checked and verified that he was on probation in Jefferson County, PA.

According to the complaint, while Chief Peck was speaking to the business representative, McCullough returned to the business and was brought into the office. Chief Peck identified himself and explained the report of the theft, then asked McCullough if anyone else was with him that day. McCullough said he was by himself, and when questioned as to whether or not he took pills from the medicine cabinet, said he did not. Chief Peck then asked McCullough if he would pass a drug test, and McCullough stated he had smoked marijuana recently, but “that would be all.”

Chief Peck then contacted Jefferson County Adult Probation and explained the situation, and probation officers were then sent to the business.

While waiting for the probation officers, McCullough asked about what kind of charges would be filed “if he did do this,” and Chief Peck explained the charges would be theft and possession of a controlled substance, the complaint indicates.

The probation officers then arrived, and Chief Peck asked them for a few more moments with McCullough. Chief Peck then gave McCullough a “last chance to explain.” McCullough then allegedly admitted to taking the pills. When asked about where they were, he stated he got “rid” of some of them and took five of them, according to the complaint.

The probation officers then conducted a search of McCullough’s work vehicle where they located his wallet which contained a short straw with residue and a small bottle of Gin in his lunch cooler. When confronted with this, McCullough mentioned one of the pills, and a second search of the wallet located one half of a pill, which was seized as evidence, the complaint states.

According to the complaint, a later search of McCullough’s residence also found a homemade marijuana smoking device made from a Redbull can, an empty blue blue medical marijuana bottle, and a black tube with marijuana residue, all of which was also seized as evidence.

The charges were filed against McCullough through Magisterial District Judge Duane L. Quinn’s office on September 13.

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