State police arrested three employees of a Charleroi pawn shop Wednesday, accusing them of running a fencing operation at the business.
Melanie Alane Courtney, 49, of North Charleroi and Paul Darren Johnson, 58, and Frank Lee Pager, 49, both of Monessen, are each charged with conspiring to buy and trade stolen merchandise, mostly tools, at Golden Pawn II, court record show.
Two undercover troopers went to the shop at 628 Fallowfield Ave. during the investigation and sold âitems purported to be stolenâ to the three employees, charging documents allege. The items were later sold through online auction managed by Golden Pond.
The investigation resulted in a statewide grand jury returning a presentment Oct. 26 recommending the three suspects be charged with making 29 transactions for $7,862 in merchandise stolen from Walmart and Home Depot between March 2019 and February, the affidavit indicates.