Harold Wilson Jr.

A Kittaning man charged in six cases, involving charges ranging from burglary and theft to assault, will be evaluated for the state intermediate punishment program following proceedings in Butler County Court on Thursday.

Harold D. Wilson Jr., 24, was ordered by county Judge Timothy McCune to be transported to a state correctional institution for the purpose of an intermediate punishment evaluation.

If Wilson qualifies, the sentence calls for 24 months in the state program, which according to the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections website, includes at least seven months of incarceration, a minimum of two months in a community-based therapeutic program and a minimum of six months in outpatient treatment.

The balance of the 24 months consists of supervised reintegration into the community, which involves DOC staff monitoring their progress in the community and some additional services or treatment, based upon their individual needs and progress.

If he is determined not to qualify, the plea agreements call for 18 to 36 months of imprisonment in a state correctional institution.

Sentencing on the cases has been deferred until a later date, pending the state program determination.

During the proceeding, Wilson admitted to having a drug problem, with multiple stints in both in- and out-patient rehabilitation, and multiple relapses.

Wilson entered pleas Thursday to felony burglary, misdemeanor simple assault, two misdemeanor theft charges, two misdemeanor retail theft charges and summary driving on a suspended license.

The crimes occurred between February 2015 and September 2016.

The leading case, which Wilson pleaded guilty to the felony burglary charge, occurred on Sept. 19, 2016, when it was reported that a Penn Avenue apartment had been burglarized, with coins, jewelry and cell phones stolen. It appeared the home was entered through a front porch window, which was pushed off its frame, police said.

Investigators noticed what appeared to be several partial fingerprints on the outside of the window and those fingerprints eventually led to Wilson's identification after seven months of investigation.

The plea agreement calls for Wilson to pay $1,650 in restitution in that case.

Judy Scott, who lives in Center Township, and was the victim of a burglary on Feb. 24 and 25, 2015, to which Wilson admitted his involvement, spoke to the court saying the incident has negatively impacted her life for three years, and has led to her ruined faith in the justice system.

“Mr. Wilson is a prime example that the consequences are small in Butler County,” she said.

Scott said that since the incident — where jewelry, including her engagement and wedding rings were stolen and never recovered — Wilson has been free to commit other crimes, after being released on his own recognizance in that crime.

“He continued to rob and mistreat not only people he has never met, but also his family,” she said.

Scott said she has never seen “a penny” of restitution from the co-defendants in that case, and doesn't expect it.

Judge McCune told Scott that “if I could force these people to sell their body parts to pay you back, I would.”

Wilson pleaded guilty to misdemeanor theft and the plea agreement calls for $7,920 in restitution in that case.

He also pleaded guilty to misdemeanor simple assault, which occurred on Dec. 24, 2015, where he caused injury to another person in Butler Township; misdemeanor theft in an incident that occurred on July 28, 2016, where he stole $281 from a person's bank account at Citizens Bank in Butler Township; misdemeanor retail theft in an incident on Sept. 15, 2016, at the Butler Township Walmart, where he stole a TV and home theater system valued at $441.57; and misdemeanor retail theft and summary driving under suspension after an incident on Sept. 22, 2016, at the same Walmart, where he stole another TV.

Wilson was held in the Butler County Prison on a combined $55,000 bail on all the cases.