Salem man pleads guilty to dozens of theft charges, gets probation

Rich Cholodofsky | Tuesday, July 14, 2020 5:19 p.m.

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A Salem man who police said used bogus checks to purchase electronics, power tools and music equipment in three states and throughout southwestern Pennsylvania pleaded guilty Tuesday to dozens of theft and conspiracy charges.

Paul E. Chonko. 42, was sentenced to serve five years on probation and ordered to repay nearly $11,000 in restitution to 26 different businesses throughout the region as part of a plea bargain deal in which felony racketeering and another 40 counts of writing bad checks and conspiracy were dismissed.

Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Tim Krieger ordered that Chonko’s probation term could be shortened to three years once all the restitution is paid.

Police said Chonko used canceled or suspended checks from a former Murrysville-area business he owned, Strike First Paint Ball Extreme, to purchase the equipment. According to court records, Chonko and Jamal Z. Williams, 42, of Pittsburgh, drove to businesses in a dozen counties as well as in Ohio and West Virginia from January through April 2016 to make the purchases, then sold the items at local pawn shops.

Williams, who is facing similar charges, was released on bail in 2017 and, according to court records, a warrant for his arrest was issued in 2018 when he failed to appear for a pretrial hearing. His case is pending.