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July 3, 2009

Hearings for robbery suspects postponed

Preliminary hearings for two men accused of robbing an Ellwood City pharmacy were continued yesterday.

Lawrence County District Attorney John Bongivengo, appearing in central court, insisted more time be given to allow for James Locke and Tyler McCaslin to obtain legal representation before proceeding with hearings.

McCaslin, 21, said to be a homeless person from Ellwood City, is charged with two counts of robbery, theft, receiving stolen property and two counts of conspiracy. Police said he was prepared yesterday to represent himself at the hearing.

Locke, 21, of 175 Windy Lane, Ellwood City, is charged with two counts of criminal conspiracy and receiving stolen property.

Officers said Locke had no attorney yesterday but expected to be represented by the public defender’s office or a court-appointed attorney.

Bongivengo said the charges are too serious to proceed without legal representation. He asked that two weeks be given to allow the public defender’s office to interview the men. Both remain in the Lawrence County jail.

District Judge Jennifer Nicholson granted his motion. New hearing dates will be scheduled.

Another co-defendant, Kassey M. Locke, 18, of 229 Spring Ave., Ellwood City, is charged with two counts of criminal conspiracy and receiving stolen property. She waived all charges against her to court. She was represented yesterday by court-appointed attorney Joseph Kearney, Her bond was reduced to $5,000.

According to court papers, Ellwood City police were notified at 5 p.m. June 11 of an armed robbery at the Medicine Shoppe at 920 Lawrence Ave.

Police said an individual, wearing white satin basketball shorts, a zipped-up white, black, gray and yellow hoodie and with a blue-rimmed, black handkerchief on his head and covering his face, demanded “all the ozys, roxys and oxycodones.”

The pharmacist said the intruder had his hand in his hoodie pocket pointing something at the store personnel, causing them to fear for their safety.

As the pharmacist poured a bottle of pills into a plastic bag, police said, the intruder demanded the clerk get the money from the cash register. The clerk did so, police said, activating a silent alarm.

Police said they interviewed several witness who reported seeing three individuals — acting in a suspicious manner— at various locations including standing in front of the building and looking toward the Medicine Shoppe.

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