Man has two wives, authorities say

Man has two wives,authorities say
MERCER, Pa. -- Shawn P. Law has a problem with the law regarding matrimony in this state.
Authorities say he has two wives.
Sheriff William Romine said Law, 32, of Woodside Drive, Grove City, surrendered Friday at the office of District Justice Ruth French after learning a warrant had been issued for his arrest on charges of bigamy, false swearing and perjury.
He was arraigned and freed on his own recognizance pending a preliminary hearing set for April 1.
Romine said Law's second wife, Cathy Law, recently lodged a complaint with the district attorney's office saying that the man she married a year ago apparently already had a wife.
Romine said an investigation showed that Law was married to a woman identified as Irene Law when he applied for a marriage license and then married Cathy Law.
Suspect now facesintimidation charge
SHARON, Pa. -- A Mercer man faces more charges after having contact with a witness in a pending criminal case. Police arrested William A. Foore, 35, of Kirkland Drive at 1:13 p.m. Tuesday on Elm Drive and charged him with intimidating a victim or witness. Police said Foore was arrested in December and charged with statutory sexual assault after being accused of having sex with a 15-year-old girl.
Police said he was ordered to have no contact with the girl while he is waiting trial on that charge. Police said they learned Tuesday that Foore has had personal contact with the girl and has been writing her letters since his first arrest.
They claim Foore was trying to influence her not to testify and threatening bodily harm to her family. Foore is in Mercer County Jail in lieu of a $50,000 bond.
Fire damages home
SHARON, Pa. -- A group home for mentally ill people was heavily damaged by fire, smoke and water.
Firefighters were called to 362 Liberty St. at 10:15 p.m. Tuesday for a blaze that started in a second-floor bedroom. They said the fire continued into a hallway and the attic. No one inside the house was injured, but one firefighter did receive stitches when he was injured by falling debris, fire department officials said. Three people lived in the home, which is owned by Community Action Agency Inc. The three have been either moved to other group homes or are staying with family, according to Gary Cervone of Community Action.
Library receives grant
FARRELL, Pa. -- The Stey-Nevant Public Library has received a $38,650 grant to computerize its card catalog and circulation systems. The money is from the federal Library Services and Technology Act and is channeled through the Commonwealth Libraries of Pennsylvania. The grant will put the card catalogue on computer and modernize the circulation system which tracks books being checked out and returned. The new systems should be operational by the end of the year.
Overpayment revealed
COLUMBIANA -- Fairfield Township Clerk Patricia Hoffmaster was overpaid $584.50 in 2000, state auditors said. Ohio Auditor Jim Petro's office released the audit Tuesday for Fairfield Township 2000 and 2001. The audit showed the findings for recovery, noting that Hoffmaster paid the $584.50 to the township's general fund Feb. 20, the same day the auditor issued the report.
Auditors said that under Ohio law, township clerks are to be paid based on a percentage of the township's total budget. Auditors said using the formula established in the law -- which takes into account Hoffmaster's time of service -- the $16,338 Hoffmaster was paid in 2000 was too high.
Man is sentenced
MERCER, Pa. -- Judge Michael Wherry of Mercer County Common Pleas Court sentenced Ira Bennett Jr., 21, of South Erie Street, Mercer, to nine to 24 months in prison for criminal use of a communication facility, a felony.
Court documents say that in March 2000, Bennett transmitted from his home computer pictures of a child under 18 who was nude or engaged in a sexual act.