MERCER COUNTY Sentencings

Judges in Mercer County Common Pleas Court sentenced these people last week, according to court documents:

Scott Baird, 34, of Fullerton Place, Sharon, sentenced to nine to 23 months in jail followed by two years’ probation for fleeing and eluding, a felony, and unauthorized use of automobiles and possession of drug paraphernalia, both misdemeanors. He also was ordered to make restitution. He led Southwest Regional Police officers on a 13-mile chase over public and private roads, lawns and driveways Sept. 29, 2007 in Wheatland, Shenango Township and Farrell. He was driving a car without the owner’s permission and, when apprehended, had a small bag containing cocaine and a metallic pipe.

Lewis Brooks, 53, of Indiana Avenue, Farrell, placed on 15 months’ probation and ordered to make restitution for misdemeanor criminal mischief. On Aug. 18, 2007, he threw a cinder block at the hood of a car on Roemer Boulevard, Farrell, causing $1,000 damage.

Sean Burke, 43, of Spruce Avenue, Sharon, sentenced to 40 to 80 months in prison for theft by unlawful taking or disposition, a felony. He stole two rifles, a shotgun, two televisions, two satellite receivers, a computer, some jewelry and miscellaneous items from a Wengler Avenue, Sharon address. The sentence was ordered served consecutive to a sentence he is already serving.

David Chaffee, 31, of Sandy Lake-Grove City Road, Stoneboro, placed on one year’s probation for simple assault. On Sept. 24, 2007, he pointed scissors at a pregnant woman, resulting in the victim’s wrestling for a control of the scissors at an Oak Drive, Mercer, residence.

Zachary Hancox, 22, of North Sharpsville, placed on 60 days house arrest followed by four years’ probation for a consolidated count of theft from a motor vehicle, a misdemeanor. On Oct. 13, 2007, he took items including cash, gift cards, compact discs, and miscellaneous items worth less than $2,000 from several vehicles parked at residences in Hermitage.

Nathaniel Leonard, 19, of State Street, Greenville, sentenced to six to 18 months in jail and ordered to make restitution for simple assault, a misdemeanor. On May 23, 2007, he punched another man in the face and jaw area several times, breaking his jaw, and causing severe head trauma and a mouth cut. The assault took place behind a Main Street, Greenville, address.

Scott McCuskey, 40, of Cusick Lane, Sharpsville, sentenced to three to 15 months in jail for defrauding secured creditors and fraud in insolvency. McCuskey was found guilty of the offense after an April trial. From May 2002 until January 2005, after a bank foreclosed on McCuskey’s home on 164 Ball Park Road, Jefferson Township, McCuskey knew proceedings were about to be instituted for appointment of a receiver for the benefit of creditors and removed items from the home. These included fixtures, trim, cabinets, countertops, shelving, doors, tub and shower fixtures, carpeting and other items resulting in an approximate $714,000 decrease in the appraised value of the home.

Tina Mihalson, 40, of Gastonia, N.C., placed on two years’ probation and ordered to make restitution for theft by unlawful taking and theft by deception, both misdemeanors. In January 2007, she took 12 blank checks from a Hermitage man and cashed them for $560 at various banks in Mercer County. She also wrote five checks on a closed account to Donofrio’s Food Center, 1749 North Hermitage Road, Hermitage, in December, 2006.

Timothy Mullinax, 22, of Maple Drive, Greenville, sentenced to one to 12 months in jail and ordered to make restitution for felony criminal trespass. He entered a Carnegie Street, Sharon, residence through a bedroom window March 29, 2006, damaging the window.

Robert Spruill, 57, of Fruit Avenue, Farrell, sentenced to three to six months in jail for retail theft, a felony, for stealing four bottles of perfume valued at $110 May 24, 2007, from T.J. Maxx, 2465 E. State St., Hermitage. The offense is a felony because it is his third or subsequent.

Kathleen West, 30, of Logan Avenue, Sharon, placed on two years’ probation and ordered to make restitution for unauthorized use of an automobile, a misdemeanor. On Oct. 7, 2007, she operated a car on Maple Drive, Pine Township, without the owner’s consent.

Ronald Lee Baun, 34, currently an inmate at the State Correctional Facility in Camp Hill, sentenced to nine months to two years in prison for felony fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer. On Nov. 20, 2007, he fled from Mercer police, leading them on a high-speed vehicular chase in the borough.

Casey Carpenter, 24, of North Perry Highway, Mercer, placed on one year’s probation and ordered to make restitution for theft of services, a misdemeanor. From June to August 2007, he illegally tapped into Penn Power electric lines by removing a device the electric company had put on the meter to prevent electricity from being transferred into his residence.

James Carson, 37, of South Walnut Street, Sharpsville, sentenced to six months to two years in jail for two misdemeanor counts of corruption of minors. On July 27, 2007, he provided alcoholic beverages to eight minors at his residence. The same day, he had sexual contact at his residence with a 17-year-old male who was passed out from consuming alcohol.

Jennifer Cogswell, 30, of Erie Street, Mercer, sentenced to seven to 18 months in jail for criminal attempt to obtain a controlled substance by misrepresentation, a felony, and several misdemeanor counts including resisting arrest, retail theft and criminal conspiracy to commit retail theft. On Oct. 18, 2007, she tried to obtain Vicodin at Rite Aid, 64 N. Mercer Ave., Sharpsville, by altering a prescription ordered by a dentist to reflect that a refill was prescribed when it was not. On Sept. 10, 2007, she stole $153 worth of cologne and miscellaneous items from Kmart, 2235 E. State St., Hermitage. Then on Oct. 23, 2007, she stole $7 worth of DVD’s from Family Dollar in Sharon City Centre. She punched and kicked a Sharon police officer while being arrested.

Shana Meeks, 19, no address listed, sentenced to 21 to 42 months in prison for three counts of theft by unlawful taking and one count of escape, all misdemeanors. On three occasions in October 2007, she took cash and jewelry from another woman. Then on Dec. 28, 2007, she failed to return to the jail after she was granted a furlough to visit her sick grandmother.