By Staff
New Castle News
NEW CASTLE —
Thirteen charges were held for court, nine dismissed and two withdrawn at preliminary hearings Wednesday for two city men.
Half brothers Steven Sheridan, 22, and Mark Quear, 21, both of 118 N. Crawford Ave., were among six New Castle residents arrested Oct. 27, in connection with a spate of arsons on the city’s Lower East Side. Both remain free on a nonmonetary bond.
Ruben Suarez, 23, of 221 Bellview Ave., another of the six arrested last fall, testified against the brothers.
Suarez said the three, and sometimes others, generally smoked marijuana prior to setting the fires. He admitted to setting some of the blazes, but was vague or confused on addresses and details and generally cast himself in the role of lookout when fires were being set.
He is charged in nine arsons. Still in custody, Suarez said he was not offered any deals by the commonwealth in exchange for his testimony.
Defense attorneys David Acker, representing Sheridan, and Thomas Leslie, representing Quear, challenged the credibility of Suarez’s evidence several times.
Suarez, represented by attorney David Trautman of Pittsburgh, is being held in the Lawrence County jail on $450,000 bond and faces arson, burglary, theft and conspiracy charges.
Also testifying Wednesday was the prosecuting officer, Sgt. David Viggiano, who is the fire investigator for the New Castle Police Department; Jan Wilson, a retired Pennsylvania State Police fire marshal; Trooper Brian Crouch of the state police fire marshal’s unit; and Herbert Gupton of Croton Avenue, who reported seeing intruders on Croton Avenue on Nov. 29, 2007.
Both Sheridan and Quear were charged in connection with fires at 723 Chestnut St., 812 Croton Ave. and 201 N. Walnut St. Quear also was charged in connection with a garage fire at 118 Crawford Ave.
District Judge Melissa Amodie:
•Held for court charges of criminal trespass and criminal conspiracy to commit trespass against both Quear and Sheridan for the fire at 812 Croton Ave., a vacant house that burned Nov. 29, 2007.
•Held for court charges of criminal conspiracy to commit arson against Quear at the Croton Avenue house, but dismissed the same charge against Sheridan.
•Held for court charges against both Sheridan and Quear involving a vacant house at 201 N. Walnut St. on Sept. 4, 2008. They are: burglary, arson to intentionally destroy a vacant building and one count each of conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to commit arson.
•Dismissed charges of arson, burglary and conspiracy to commit arson and burglary against both men in connection with a fire in an abandoned house at 723 Chestnut St. on Nov. 8, 2008.
Assistant district attorney Luanne Parkonen withdrew charges of arson and conspiracy to commit arson against Quear, who was charged in connection with a fire at a garage at 118 N. Crawford Ave.
