BARNETT TWP., Pa. (EYT) — A man was recently arraigned on charges from a burglary that occurred in Barnett Township two years ago.
According to court documents, 32-year-old Justin Edwin Libengood, of Latrobe, was arraigned in front of Magisterial District Judge Gregory M. Bazylak on May 17, 2021.
Marienville-based State Police filed criminal charges against Libengood on September 30, 2020, in Judge Bazylak’s office.
According to a criminal complaint, Marienville-based State Police initiated an investigation on May 20, 2019, into a report of theft of miscellaneous tools and household goods from a camp in Barnett Township, Forest County.
At the scene, police observed forcible entry was made into the camp and shed and it appeared that the suspects had spent time at the camp due to power being manually hooked up, food and personal items being left behind, and the general conditions found at the camp, including a brown cigarette butt with a green stripe left in an ashtray located above the microwave, according to the complaint.
The victim told police that a relative, Justin Libengood, had recently gotten out of jail and was familiar with the camp and how to hook up the power, the complaint notes.
Police then spoke to Libengood, via phone, on July 3, 2019.
According to the complaint, Libengood immediately denied any involvement in the burglary and said he had not been to the camp in years.
Police then asked Libengood about his girlfriend and he told them she didn’t have any involvement as she had been in the Indiana County Jail.
Police then contacted the Indiana County Jail and inquired about the woman Libengood named as his girlfriend. They found she had been incarcerated at the facility on July 1, 2019.
Police then interviewed the known woman at the jail.
According to the complaint, the woman admitted to knowing Libengood and said she had been dating him since May of 2019. She also reportedly admitted to having knowledge of the burglary and being present at the scene.
The known woman reportedly told police that she was involved with the burglary. She reported that Libengood suggested they go up to the cabin and he drove them there. She told police they were there for about a day or so and didn’t really sleep while there.
The complaint notes when asked about the items that were taken, the woman said Libengood took the items down to a known man in Charleroi, Pa., from whom he was purchasing drugs. She estimated he took the items to the man a few days after being at the camp and told police they drove down in her Chevrolet Cruze. She also reported that Libengood had been out in the shed at the camp where some of the items had been taken.
In November 2019, the man named as the individual Libengood had taken to tools to was interviewed.
According to the complaint, the man told police that he was familiar with Libengood and the woman and they had contacted him three times between May and July at his residence. He reported that during one of the contacts in May, Libengood attempted to sell him hand tools and power tools but said that he declined to purchase them and didn’t know what had happened to them.
On August 5, 2020, A NDA swab search warrant for Libengood was requested and granted, and police collected the swab at the Indiana County Jail, where Libengood was incarcerated. The complaint states an analysis of the results from Libengood’s sample matched a DNA profile obtained from a cigarette butt and the mouth area of a Red Bull can found at the scene of the burglary.
Libengood was arraigned at 2:35 p.m. on May 17, 2021, with Judge Bazylak presiding.
He faces the following charges:
– Burglary — Overnight Accommodation, No Person Present, Felony 1
– Theft By Unlaw Taking-Movable Property, Misdemeanor 1
– Receiving Stolen Property, Misdemeanor 1
– Criminal Mischief — Damage Property, Summary
Unable to post $100,000.00 (10%) monetary bail, he was lodged in the Jefferson County Jail.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. on June 1, with Judge Bazylak presiding.
Court documents indicate Libengood has a history of criminal activity dating back to 2007 and ranging from theft and burglary to assault.
