Defendants accused of conspiring to crack safes

October 5, 2016 at 6:55p.m.

CLEVELAND

A federal grand jury indictment charges three Mahoning County men with conspiring to transport explosives that could be used to crack safes, the U.S. attorney has announced.

Indicted are Frank Michael Susany Jr., 52, of Boardman; Robert Thomas Courtney Jr., 44, of North Jackson; and James Patrick Quinn, 51, of Youngstown, all having been arrested Wednesday.

All three pleaded innocent at their arraignment Wednesday afternoon in Youngstown before U.S. Magistrate George J. Limbert, who appointed lawyers for them and ordered them to remain in federal custody pending a detention hearing in federal court in Cleveland next week.

The three defendants are charged with receipt and transportation of explosive materials, conspiracy and operation of an apparatus to interfere with the transmission of communications and signals.

Susany, Courtney and Quinn conspired from February through April 2013 to receive and transport explosive materials that could be used to crack safes at jewelry and coin shops, according to the indictment that was unsealed Wednesday.

It was part of the conspiracy that the trio would break into jewelry and coin stores to steal valuables; that the money obtained by selling the stolen items would be used to buy explosive materials; and that once they obtained the explosive materials, they would use the materials to crack safes at other jewelry and coin shops, the indictment said.