AUSTINTOWN Man arraigned on charges of theft

Thieves made off with 20,000 compact discs, the entertainment service owner said.
By JoANNE VIVIANO
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
AUSTINTOWN -- A Youngstown man accused of stealing $90,000 in equipment from a Lake Milton disc jockey service told a judge he works as a DJ at a township strip club.
John Sherfel, 22, of Sheffield Drive, faces charges of theft, vandalism and breaking and entering in the May 3 robbery at Never Quit Interactive Inc. disc jockey and entertainment company.
Sherfel was arraigned Thursday in Mahoning County Court in Austintown before Judge David A. D'Apolito, who reduced bail from $9,000 to $5,000. Sherfel posted bond Thursday night.
Wearing orange prison garb, Sherfel turned several times during the hearing to motion toward his fianc & eacute;e. He told the judge he was a DJ at the Babylon club on Javit Court. Never Quit Interactive has no connection to the strip club.
Milton Township police say Sherfel admitted the crimes.
Items recovered: During Sherfel's arrest Monday, about one-third of the items stolen were recovered in the Cooper Street apartment he shares with his fianc & eacute;e.
Police say Sherfel and another man stole stereo equipment, computers and compact discs from the business in the Lake Shore Plaza on Mahoning Avenue. The thieves made off with about 20,000 CDs, said Never Quit Interactive owner Tom Baclawski.
Police said they received a tip leading them to Sherfel. When it was discovered he was wanted for failing to appear in court in a motor vehicle case, deputies arrested him.
Police said friends of Sherfel removed some items from the apartment before police got there. Six others are being investigated for possible roles in the crime.
viviano@vindy.com