Wheelchair Bound St. Paul Man Charged in Thefts
Police on the trail of a burglary suspect found wheelchair-bound man claiming that he obviously couldn’t be to blame because of a recent knee surgery. Evidence in his apartment, however, told a different story. The man, John Howard Schlesky, living on an upper floor apartment with no elevator access was another clue that the “surgery” didn’t leave him out of commission.
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According to this report from the Pioneer Press, police responded to an alarm at the Grand Hand Gallery. Witnesses saw 48 year old Schlesky fleeing into an apartment building, what later proved to be his apartment building.
In his apartment, police found clothing, still on hangars with Grand Hand Gallery tags still attached. Upon further inspection, with the help of a search warrant, the investigating officers found evidence of other thefts as well. He was arrested .
The Pioneer Press article goes on to list a range of criminal convictions in Schlesky’s past including several for burglaries and thefts.
Most recently, the article states, he pled guilty to felony criminal damage and will face sentencing for that charge in January. Depending on the specifics of this case he may be facing several years in prison for the criminal damage.
Theft charges are largely based on the value of the goods alleged to be stolen. For this reason, it isn’t completely clear how serious the newest charges against Schlesky will be. Depending on the value of the goods, the charge could carry a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
Theft charges can be very serious. Facing large fines and prison time is enough to make anyone nervous. A felony conviction stays on your record forever and can impact your future in a variety of ways.
If you are facing theft, shoplifting, or even criminal damage charges, I can help. Contact me to discuss the details of your case.