Former park ranger charged in felony theft case
SLIPPERY ROCK TWP — A mountain bike, bows and arrows, tools, kayak paddles and even a cast-iron skillet were some of items allegedly stolen by a former park ranger.
John E. McAvoy Jr., 52, of Slippery Rock Township is accused of taking the property belonging to the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources between 2013 and 2017 while he worked at Cook Forest State Park in Clarion County.
State police Tuesday charged McAvoy with felony counts of theft and receiving stolen property. That same day he was arraigned and promptly waived those charges to Butler County Court.
Investigators started looking into the case after accusations arose that McAvoy, then a ranger supervisor at Cook Forest, had taken department-owned property and was “making personal use of the items,” according to court documents.
The total value of the suspected stolen property was $2,789.
A DCNR spokesman in Harrisburg was unaware of the charges. He said McAvoy is no longer a department employee but declined to elaborate.
He remains free on $2,500 unsecured bail. His attorney, Gerald Cassady, declined to comment on the charges when contacted Thursday.
Read more about this case in the Butler Eagle.
