CLEARFIELD – Four suspects accused of taking railroad steel from their employer and selling it as scrap appeared for preliminary hearings Wednesday during Centralized Court at the Clearfield County Jail.
Willis Leonard Hull Jr., 40, of Clearfield has been charged with 23 counts each of theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property. Hull waived all charges to court, and his bail has been set at $10,000 unsecured.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, between Oct. 9, 2010 and Oct. 19, 2013, Hull went to GC Scrap Metal LLC in Osceola Mills. While there, he allegedly sold railroad steel, which belonged to his employer, RJ Corman Railroad, as “scrap.”
When Hull allegedly brought in the railroad steel, it was in the form of rails, tie plates, comp bars, spikes, etc.; it was brought in on RJ Corman equipment. Hull was allegedly issued checks 23, different times by GC Scrap Metal.
Between Oct. 9, 2010 and Oct. 19, 2013, Hull was allegedly paid a total of $27,802.30 for 208,136 pounds of railroad steel, the affidavit states.
In other cases, Michael Jesse Hummel, 46, of Clearfield has been charged with conspiracy/theft by unlawful taking and a dozen counts each of theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property.
Frank Edward Walls Jr., 48, of Morrisdale has been charged with conspiracy/theft by unlawful taking, theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property.
Paul Allen Harris, 48, of Sykesville has been charged with conspiracy/theft by unlawful taking and two counts each of theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property.
Hummel, Walls and Harris waived all charges to court. Bail has also been set at $10,000 unsecured for each.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, between Aug. 3, 2010 and Sept. 12, 2013, Hummel went to GC Scrap Metal. While there, he allegedly sold railroad steel, which belonged to his employer, RJ Corman Railroad, as “scrap.”
When Hummel allegedly brought in the railroad steel, it was in the form of rails, tie plates, comp bars, spikes, etc.; it was also brought in on RJ Corman equipment. Hummel was allegedly issued checks 12, different times from GC Scrap Metal.
On Sept. 12, 2013, Walls went to GC Scrap Metal with Hummel and Harris. All three men were employed by RJ Corman Railroad at the time. Walls, Hummel and Harris allegedly went to GC Scrap Metal in RJ Corman vehicles loaded with railroad steel.
The “scrap” railroad steel had a total weight of 23,010 pounds. Walls, Hummel and Harris were allegedly paid equal shares of $997 for 7,670 pounds of “scrap” railroad steel. Walls was issued a check by GC Scrap Metal, the affidavit states.
Between Aug. 3, 2010 and Sept. 12, 2013, Hummel was paid a total of $4,164.30 for 35,170 pounds of railroad steel, the affidavit states.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, on Dec. 14, 2013, Harris allegedly went to GC Scrap Metal and sold 11,820 pounds of railroad steel. He was allegedly issued a check from GC Scrap Metal for $1,654.80.
Harris allegedly sold 19,490 pounds of railroad steel and was paid $2,651.80 for the two incidents for which he was involved with on Sept. 12 and Dec. 14 of 2013.
In the affidavit, state police noted that railroad steel has significantly more value in the form of rails, tie plates, spikes, comp bars, etc., than as classified as simply “scrap” steel.