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Christy represents self in court; gets three Carbon charges dropped

A McAdoo man who eluded authorities for three months after threatening to shoot President Donald Trump and others appeared in a Carbon County district court Wednesday.

Shawn R. Christy, 27, had preliminary hearings in three cases before District Judge Joseph D. Homanko Sr., Weatherly.

The cases involve breaking into and stealing from two businesses and a home.

Online court documents on Wednesday listed Christy as being held in Carbon County prison, unable to post bail.

Christy represented himself, although an Allentown lawyer, Andrew Theyken Bench, was present in case he wanted advice.

Assistant District Attorney Joseph D. Perilli presented the Carbon County charges.

The hearings, held back-to-back, were marked by bouts of odd behavior by Christy.

He accused Homanko of being involved in a conspiracy against him, and displayed a photo of a federal marshal, Rochelle Liedike, of Anchorage, Alaska.

Christy hounded former Alaska Gov. and vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin in 2010, sending threatening phone calls and emails. Palin brought a protection-from-abuse order against him.

Christy and his parents, Craig and Karen Christy of McAdoo, frequently refer to ongoing conspiracies against Shawn Christy by a number of people ranging from Palin to Schuylkill County District Attorney Michael A. O’Pake to McAdoo Mayor Stephan Holly and patrolman Frederick Lahovski.

During the hearings Wednesday, Christy asked Homanko for fingerprint evidence and to play a video. Those requests could not be met because the fingerprints were still being processed, and Homanko’s office didn’t have video equipment.

The charges in the three cases stem from allegations that Christy, while on the run from authorities, stole a truck from his former employers, Hazleton Oil and Environmental Inc.; broke into another business to steal several items; and broke into a Packer Township home.

In one case, Christy faces charges filed by state trooper Casey Lewis of the Hazleton barracks, resulting from allegations that Christy broke into Hallmark Industries on Sept. 13, and stole several items.

The charges are two counts of felony burglary, two counts of felony criminal trespass, and one count of misdemeanor theft.

Because there was no surveillance video to prove it was Christy, three additional charges, two of theft and one of criminal mischief, were withdrawn.

In the second case, trooper Richard W. Mrak Jr. filed felony charges of burglary and criminal trespass, and misdemeanor attempted theft and a summary offense of criminal mischief, all stemming from an incident on Aug. 23, in which Christy is believed to have broken into a Packer Township building.

All of those charges were held for court.

In the third case, trooper Joseph M. Maletz filed felony charges of burglary, criminal trespass, and theft, and a misdemeanor charge of theft.

Those charges resulted from allegations that Christy broke into his former employer, Hazleton Oil and Environmental, on July 7. Homanko sent all charges to court.

Christy ran after skipping a jury selection in Schuylkill County court on May 30, then threatening to shoot Trump, Northampton District Attorney John Morganelli and any law enforcement officers who tried to catch him.

The chase involved federal, state and local authorities.

After running through Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Kentucky, Maryland and New York, stealing cars and weapons, and breaking into homes and businesses, Christy was captured on Sept. 21 hiding in a ravine near Mansfield, Ohio.

Christy also faces court action on a number of local charges, including one of aggravated assault involving then-McAdoo Mayor Stephan Holly on March 15, 2017.

Rush Township police charged Christy with burglary, theft and criminal mischief on Aug. 24; and Butler Township police with theft, receiving stolen property, criminal trespass and illegally possessing a firearm.

Ben Stemrich contributed to this report.