Original Blog Entry: Police Arrest Man Caught Digging Up Weed

truesee — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 22:24:06 GMT

Drug charges added to ID theft

By PATRICK BUCHNOWSKI

The Tribune-Democrat

September 03, 2009 10:54 pm

A Johnstown man accused of stealing nearly $2,700 from a woman s bank account was digging up a marijuana plant in his yard when police arrived to arrest him.

Jon Craig Beltz Jr., 23, made 32 withdrawals from the woman s account at CNB?Bank s Northern Cambria branch from April to July, city police said.

Beltz, 23, of the 700 block of Cooper Avenue, also sold $12,323 worth of the woman s jewelry and computer equipment, police said.

When officers arrived at his residence Wednesday, Beltz was seen holding a large marijuana plant that appeared to have been cultivated in the backyard, police said in an affidavit of probable cause. Next to the plant was a large, fresh hole and a shovel.

He was growing marijuana in the backyard, city Detective Joseph Eckenrod said.

Beltz was charged with identify theft, receiving stolen property and access device fraud. He also was charged with manufacturing a controlled substance and marijuana possession.

Beltz was arraigned by District Judge John Barron of Upper Yoder Township, the on-call magistrate, and sent to the Cambria County Prison after failing to post $50,000 bond.

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