LOCKPORT – A Lewiston man admitted Thursday that he took part in the Aug. 31 burglary of a vacant industrial building in Niagara Falls in an effort to steal copper and other metal.
Gerald Welker Jr., 28, of Upper Mountain Road, was allowed to plead guilty to a reduced charge of second-degree criminal trespass. He will be sentenced May 15 by Niagara County Judge Matthew J. Murphy III.
Welker’s co-defendant, Nicholas McConnaughey, 42, of Ferry Avenue, Niagara Falls, was arraigned Thursday on a felony burglary charge and other counts. Deputy District Attorney Doreen M. Hoffmann said police caught Welker inside the building in the Highland Technology Park and McConnaughey just outside. She said the latter had a shopping cart with which to haul metal away, and one of the items disturbed in the building was an old printing press.
Gerald Welker Jr., 28, of Upper Mountain Road, was allowed to plead guilty to a reduced charge of second-degree criminal trespass. He will be sentenced May 15 by Niagara County Judge Matthew J. Murphy III.
Welker’s co-defendant, Nicholas McConnaughey, 42, of Ferry Avenue, Niagara Falls, was arraigned Thursday on a felony burglary charge and other counts. Deputy District Attorney Doreen M. Hoffmann said police caught Welker inside the building in the Highland Technology Park and McConnaughey just outside. She said the latter had a shopping cart with which to haul metal away, and one of the items disturbed in the building was an old printing press.