Blairsville man convicted in Indiana; Kittanning is next | State

A Blairsville man is sentenced to four days to two years less a day in the Indiana County Jail for one count of third-degree retail theft committed earlier this year, and concurrent sentences of one year probation for first-degree misdemeanor counts of defiant trespassing. and last year's retail theft.

Brian G. Swanlek, 51, was sentenced Monday by Indiana County Common Pleas Chairman Judge Thomas M. Bianco. He will also face a plea court next month before Bianco's counterpart in Kittanning, Armstrong County Common Pleas Chairman Judge James J. Panchik, on charges related to an incident that occurred on March 25, 2023 at the Walmart at Hilltop Plaza in East Franklin Township.

Swanlek was sentenced Monday for a retail theft incident that occurred on Jan. 12, 2024, in Blairsville, for which he was also immediately released on parole and assessed restitution; on January 31, 2023, for a retail theft in Indiana Borough; and a defiant trespassing incident that occurred on April 26, 2023, also in Indiana Borough. In all three cases, he was also assessed fines and court costs.

Additionally, on June 26, 2023, he was assessed a fine and court costs for the theft of beer on June 7, 2023, from a Sheetz convenience store in Blairsville.

Blairsville Police Chief Louis J. Sacco said his officers found Swanlek at the intersection of East Market and North Brady streets in possession of the stolen beer.

“Officers then viewed video footage to confirm that Swanlek took the beer without paying Sheetz,” Sacco said. “It was later discovered that Swanlek had warrants for his arrest from Armstrong County.”

Swanlek would spend 11 days in the Armstrong County Jail before posting bond for the East Franklin incident.

He was scheduled to stand trial in April, but later was summoned to plea court before Panchik, first on May 2 and now on July 2, for third-degree retail merchandise theft; third-degree misdemeanor, disorderly conduct, dangerous/physical offense; third-degree misdemeanor receiving stolen property; and a summary charge of public drunkenness and similar misconduct.

According to the probable cause affidavit filed by Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Tyco J. Bock, another trooper and Bock responded to Walmart around 2:09 a.m. when employees reported that a man was in the bathroom and allegedly refused to leave.

It was reported that the man had been there since at least 9:30 p.m. and that the store closed at 11 p.m. Officers reportedly located the man in a stall, drunk and consuming Listerine mouthwash and pure lemon extract from that Walmart.

Swanlek has been represented by public defenders in every county. As of last weekend, he was listed as being incarcerated in the Indiana County Jail.

Kittanning Leader Times associate editor Dennis Phillips contributed. history.