Inmate accused of theft
An inmate at the Butler County Prison is accused of stealing coffee rations, Ramen noodles, chips and other snacks from the cell of two other prisoners.
District Judge Pete Shaffer on Monday arraigned Dewayne M. Johnson, 23, on charges of theft and receiving stolen property.
“I guess there’s no honor among thieves,” Pat Cannon, Butler County’s chief detective, said of the inter-prison theft.
Cannon investigated the case after inmate Jeremy Dyer, 35, of Evans City on Nov. 1 discovered about $100 worth of commissary items missing from the cell he shared with Bryan L. Conner, 24, of Mars.
The alleged theft happened as the two cellmates were having breakfast.
Following a lockdown and search, prison officials turned up the commissary items from under Johnson’s bunk, according to court documents.
Among the discovered food were six packs of coffee, graham crackers, cookies, beef sticks, tortillas and 50 packs of noodles.
Cannon said Johnson was interviewed and admitted taking the food, which was eventually returned to Dyer and Conner.
Johnson has been in the prison since Dec. 17. He is there at the request of the U.S. Marshal’s office. Prison officials do not know the reason for the request.
A call to the U.S. Marshal’s district office in Pittsburgh on Monday was not returned.