Two Charged with Knowingly Selling Stolen Merchandise

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - Two residents of Windber and Johnstown, Pa., were indicted by a federal grand jury in Johnstown on charges of conspiracy and interstate transportation of stolen property, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

The Indictment named Bradley J. Charlton, 37, of Windber, Pa., and John P. Stuart, 38, of Johnstown, Pa.

According to the Indictment presented to the court, from Aug. 1, 2016, to Oct. 3, 2018, the named defendants conspired with one another, and with others, to commit certain offenses against the United States, that is, to unlawfully transport, transmit and transfer in interstate commerce goods, wares and merchandise knowing the same to have been stolen, converted, and taken by fraud.

It was part of the conspiracy that the defendants operated a retail plea market "Value-It" in Richland Township between 2016 and 2018. It was further part of the conspiracy that customers would bring stolen new merchandise to Value-It for purchase by the defendants. It was further part of the conspiracy that the defendants would purchase the stolen new merchandise, knowing it had been stolen. It was further part of the conspiracy that the stolen merchandise that had been purchased from the customers by Value-It was thereafter sold by Value-It at the store or over the Internet on websites such as Ebay. It was further part of the conspiracy that Value-It would receive monetary payments for the stolen merchandise that had been sold over the Internet.

Assistant U.S. Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Laurel Highlands Resident Agency, the Cambria County Detective Bureau, and the Richland Township Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.