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Warren man indicted on four break-in charges, accused of many others
By Ed Runyan
WARREN
A city man accused of committing as many as 20 break-ins across Trumbull, Portage, Geauga, Lake and Ashtabula counties has been indicted in connection with four such break-ins in Trumbull County.
Brandon M. Welz, 30, of South Street, was indicted on charges of breaking into the Hole In The Wall Tavern on state Route 88 in Mecca Township on May 2, Duck Creek Golf Course on Newton Tomlinson Road in Newton Falls on May 7, Quiggleys Bar on Parkman Road in Warren Township on May 14 and Tamer Win Golf Course on Niles Cortland Road in Bazetta Township on May 17.
Welz already is in state prison, having been sentenced to two years in August in Lake County on one count of breaking and entering and one of safecracking.
The Trumbull County charges and the Lake County charges were part of an investigation headed by Detective Jolene Marcello of the Trumbull County Sheriff’s Office after Marcello discovered similarities in break-ins being carried out in many of the counties to the north and west.
The break-ins all were occurring at bars and golf-course clubhouses. Surveillance videos showed someone “belly crawling” across the floor of the business while dressed in a hooded sweatshirt, mask and backpack and stealing cash.
She contacted detectives in the other counties, and they started to work together on the case.
It culminated in Welz’s arrest May 30 while investigators were conducting surveillance on Welz and saw him break into a storage building on West Market Street in Warren Township.
The investigation was also aided by a tip from the public that came from a Facebook page for Mulligan’s Pub on U.S. Route 422 in Geauga County showing the suspect inside during a break-in at that business in late April.
Welz’ girlfriend, Georgianna L. Moeller, 24, also of South Street, was also indicted on four counts of breaking and entering for purportedly driving the car during Welz’s four Trumbull County break-ins.
She pleaded guilty earlier this month in Lake County to complicity to breaking and entering and will be sentenced later.
And Welz’s brother, Jason A. Welz, 28, of North Park Drive in West Farmington, was indicted on four counts of receiving stolen property after he was purportedly caught selling antique firearms at two Trumbull County firearms stores in early October that had been stolen from a house nearby his home.
County sheriff’s Maj. Tom Stewart said police arrested Jason Welz at the Stocker’s Gun Shop on Mahoning Avenue Northwest in Champion Township while Jason Welz was attempting to sell some of the weapons.