Man arrested hours after being sentenced
By MARK LAW, staff writerSTEUBENVILLE - Robert J. Drake, 24, of 1130 Wilson Ave., Mingo Junction, was sentenced to one year in prison at 11:30 a.m. Thursday by Jefferson County Common Pleas Judge Joseph Bruzzese Jr. after pleading guilty to stealing scrap metal.
He was told to report to the county jail on Monday to be transported to prison.
Drake was arrested at 2 p.m. Thursday by City Police after he was stopped by Wal-Mart security for shoplifting.
Drake pleaded guilty in two separate cases in common pleas court.
He pleaded guilty to receiving stolen property after a break-in at a business on Jan. 30 in the 1200 block of Labelle Avenue.
Drake also pleaded guilty to receiving stolen property after the theft of items from the Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corp. Steubenville plant on Jan. 2.
City Police reported a Wal-Mart security officer on Thursday told police that Drake threw something in a garbage can at the store's security office. Police searched Drake and found prescription medication in his wallet. A baggie was found inside the garbage can and inside the bag was a burnt spoon with a grayish powder on the end, police reported.
Drake was taken to the county jail after being charged by police with possession of drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia and petit theft.
He was scheduled to appear today in municipal court.
(Law can be contacted at mlaw@heraldstaronline.com.)
