OIL CITY, Pa. (EYT) – An Oil City is accused of receiving stolen property after he allegedly purchased a stolen cell phone.
According to court documents, the Oil City Police Department filed criminal charges against 40-year-old William Joseph Campbell, of Oil City.
According to a criminal complaint, Patrolman Ruditis, of the Oil City Police Department, had contact with a known man on March 24 who claimed that Randi Miller had possession of two of his cellular devices without his permission and had not returned the phones to him. The victim added that he had reason to believe that one of the phones – a blue Huawei Honor 8 Smartphone – was in the possession of William ‘BJ’ Campbell.
It was learned that an incident had occurred on January 28 in which Patrolman Culp had contact with Campbell and observed that he was in possession of a blue Huawei Honor 8 Smartphone. Patrolman Culp said Campbell was using the phone at the time of contact, and Campbell said he received the phone from “a friend,” the complaint states.
On March 25, Patrolman Ruditis traveled to a residence on East First Street in Oil City to make contact with Campbell after receiving information that Campbell is a transient and is known to stay at that residence. Contact was made with the residents who confirmed Campbell was there, and then Patrolman Ruditis made contact with him.
According to the complaint, Campbell confirmed that he was previously in possession of a blue Huawei Honor Smartphone and stated that he received the phone from Miller but was unaware it was stolen or that it belonged to the victim.
On March 26, Patrolman Ruditis traveled to a residence on Cornplanter Avenue in Oil City to make contact with Randi Sue Miller.
According to the complaint, Miller confirmed that she sold the phone to Campbell for $100.00. She also confirmed the phone was left at her residence by the victim when he was incarcerated for an unrelated incident. Miller claimed the victim owed her $100.00, so she sold the phone. She also confirmed that she told Campbell the phone she sold him belonged to the victim, the complaint states.
Based on the investigation, Campbell was arraigned at 4:09 p.m. on Monday, March 26, in Magisterial District Judge Patrick E. Lowrey’s office on the following charges:
– Conspiracy — Receiving Stolen Property, Misdemeanor 1
– Receiving Stolen Property, Misdemeanor 1
Unable to post $10,000.00 cash bail, he was lodged in the Venango County Jail on March 26.
He was released on April 4 after Judge Lowrey changed his bail to $10,000.00 unsecured.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on April 25 in Venango County Central Court.
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