Shenandoah man gets jail time for setting fire

A Shenandoah man who torched a private home received a jail sentence in the Schuylkill County court.

David Matthew Riedel, 27, of Shenandoah, pleaded guilty to a charge of arson to a property and was sentenced by Judge Cyrus Palmer Dolbin to serve nine to 23 1/2 months in the county prison. On a charge risking catastrophe he will have to serve an additional five years on probation.

He was also ordered to pay $100 to the Substance Abuse Education (SAE) fund, $50 to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account (CJEA) fund and make restitution of $47,174.98 to Foremost Insurance Company. Riedel was cited by Patrolman Joseph Hall for torching the property at 320 W. Penn St.

Riedel also pleaded guilty to a charge of driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol and was sentenced to serve 30 days to six months in the county prison but the sentence runs concurrent to the arson sentence. He must pay $100 to the Catastrophe fund, $50 to the CJEA fund, $60 to the Schuylkill Medical Center and his driver's license is suspended 12 months. He was cited by Troopoer Michael Breznik when he was involved in a one car accident last New Year's Day on SR4033 in Union Township.

Keith Daniel Benjamin, 25, Shenandoah, who changed his plea from not guilty to guilty after a jury had been selected to hear his case was sentenced by Dolbin to serve six to 12 months in the county prison on the chage of receiving stolen tools which belonged to Waste Management Company. He was ordered to report to the prison on Jan. 4 at 10 a.m. He also must pay $50 to the CJEA fund and make restitution of $449 to the injured party. Benjamin was cited by Trooper James Cutttitta.

Jeffrey Allen Rumpf, 34, Minersville, was found not guilty by a jury of charges of assault and harassment following a fist fight with several patrons in the Ten Pin Club in Pine Grove Township. Dolbin presided at the trial.

Steward Steckley Jr., 39, Pottsville, was found guilty by a jury of charges of two counts of sexual abuse of children by possessing photographs and movies of child pornography. Dolbin deferred sentencing to Feb. 22 and ordered Steckley submit to evaluation buy the state sexual offenders assessment board.

All defendants sentenced must also pay a $50 per month supervision fee.