LEWISBURG — Two Bucknell University students face multiple felony charges for allegedly stealing laptop computers, textbooks, cash and assorted items from fellow fraternity brothers.
Jeffrey Finegan, 21, of Phillipsburg, N.J., and Carter Wells, 20, of Branford, Conn., were arraigned recently by District Judge Leo S. Armbruster and are free on $25,000 bail each.
Charges against the men stem from burglaries Feb. 16 and 17 at rooms of the Delta Upsilon Fraternity at Bucknell West Mod 10 and Mod 7 on campus. They entered through unlocked windows and doors, the affidavit states.
Bucknell public safety-police is running the investigation.
Finegan faces seven felony charges: three counts of burglary, three counts of criminal trespass and one count of receiving stolen property. Wells faces five felony charges: burglary, criminal trespass, receiving stolen property and two counts of conspiracy.
In the affidavit, police allege the two stole five laptops worth about $5,800, textbooks worth about $1,900 and rented textbooks worth $1,400. They also are accused of taking cash, clothing and other items.
Finegan is said to have admitted to another burglary at Mod 10 about Feb. 9, the affidavit states.
Bucknell police learned of the burglaries Feb. 24 after fraternity members Michael Maneri and Andrew D’Abbraccio reported them, according to the affidavit.
Finegan and Wells are Delta Upsilon members. Finegan resigned as fraternity president Feb. 24, Maneri said.
Maneri told police on Feb. 16 that he allowed Finegan to borrow his 2009 C-Class Mercedes Benz, as he had many times before, to go to a local fast-food restaurant, but learned a week later from fellow fraternity members Nathan Opalinski and Justin Meshulam that Finegan allegedly had used the car to commit the burglaries.
Opalinski and Meshulam said they went with Finegan on Feb. 9 to Mod 10 to play a prank on a friend by rearranging his room, but observed Finegan putting items into a backpack. He later gave both men cash.
The men gave the cash to D’Abbraccio and told him what happened. D’Abbraccio held onto it until he and Maneri went to police.
The laptops have not been recovered. Wells told police he disposed of them in a Dumpster behind Kohl’s Department Store in Hummels Wharf, the affidavit states. A police search did not turn up the computers.
Finegan told police he and Wells had been selling the textbooks through several online retailers, the affidavit states.
Bucknell officials do not anticipate further charges in the case, said Andy Hirsch, director of media communications. “We are taking disciplinary actions in line with the policies and procedures set forth in our student handbook,” he said.
Both men appear again before Armbruster on March 28 for preliminary hearings.
News
Bucknell University students charged in fraternity burglaries
- News
-
-
USTA seeks 8 percent rate hike
LEWISBURG — Seniors and people with disabilities will soon have to dig deeper into their pockets as the Union-Snyder Transportation Alliance seeks approval to raise rates up to 50 cents per trip.
-
Sunbury man jailed on kidnapping charge
MILTON — A Sunbury man was charged by police with kidnapping after he allegedly took a 3-year-old girl at gunpoint Monday night from her home in Union County.
- U.S. war games send signal to Assad
-
PennDOT withholds funding plan from public
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has built a website that compares competing plans to spend billions of dollars in new transportation money, but it’s refusing to release similar information to the public, which will pay for chosen projects.
-
Reputed Mafioso tip triggers new Hoffa body search
The FBI saw enough merit in a reputed Mafia captain’s tip to once again break out the digging equipment to search for the remains of former Teamsters union leader Jimmy Hoffa, last seen alive before a lunch meeting with two mobsters nearly 40 years ago.
-
GSVUW won't use discretionary funds for Scouts
The Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way Board voted Tuesday not to release discretionary funding to the Susquehanna Council of Boy Scouts of America.
-
10 Things to Know for Today
Your daily look at late-breaking Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today:
-
Troopers become teachers at Camp Cadet
SELINSGROVE - More than 50 cadets marched onto the Susquehanna University football practice field and stood at attention while Milton state trooper Matt Burrows explained the importance of self-discipline.
-
Family fears cat killer
Members of a Point Township family don’t feel safe after their pet cat was found dead Friday in the middle of their backyard, shot in the heart.
-
Road stretch reopens
The first phase of the $3.9 million “big dig” in Mifflinburg is over as a reconstructed section of Route 45, or Chestnut Street, will reopen today, PennDOT announced.
-
State Supreme Court upholds the judicial retirement age
HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania Supreme Court is unanimously rejected a challenge to a portion of the state constitution that requires judges to retire by the end of the year in which they turn 70.
-
Sen. Casey calls on Congress to stop student loan rate increase
PHILADELPHIA — U.S. Sen. Bob Casey is calling for legislation to prevent an interest rate increase on federally subsidized student loans.
-
U.S. Military plans would put women in most combat jobs
WASHINGTON — Women may be able to start training as Army Rangers by mid-2015 and as Navy SEALs a year later under plans set to be announced by the Pentagon that would slowly bring women into thousands of combat jobs, including those in elite special operations forces.
-
Governor signs anti-abortion insurance coverage bill
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania is joining about 20 other states in limiting coverage of abortions under health care insurance policies offered in a federally-run insurance marketplace starting next year under a sweeping federal law.
-
Ohio police chief takes criminals to task online
KENT, Ohio — If you’re up to no good in this pocket of northeast Ohio, especially in a witless way, you’re risking not only jail time or a fine but a swifter repercussion with a much larger audience: You’re in for a social media scolding from police Chief David Oliver and some of his small department’s 51,000 Facebook fans.
-
Court Dockets
A roundup of news from local district and county courts.
-
Today in 'Our Valley'
Photo exhibit opens at library's new art gallery
Swimmers unite in record-breaking effort
Captive readers warm to book club at Snyder County prison
Family and fans remember Davy Jones in his beloved Beavertown
-
U.S. Supreme Court: Arizona citizenship proof law is illegal
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court ruled today that states cannot on their own require would-be voters to prove they are U.S. citizens before using a federal registration system designed to make signing up easier.
- More News Headlines
-
USTA seeks 8 percent rate hike
