Burglary charges against Christy dropped

WILKES-BARRE (AP) — As he awaits sentencing on federal convictions for threatening the president, Shawn Christy has had burglary charges dropped against him in Luzerne County.

Christy, 28, was facing burglary and theft-related charges alleging he broke into his uncle’s Butler Township home in July 2018 while on the run from U.S. marshals, who were seeking him on federal charges alleging he threatened President Donald Trump on Facebook.

The state trial was set to begin Monday, but court records show county prosecutors requested the case be dismissed on Thursday.

A motion Deputy District Attorney Daniel Zola filed in court notes that Christy has already been convicted in federal court “on charges arising out of his conduct related” to the state case, and says Christy’s uncle did not oppose dropping the charges.

Luzerne County President Judge Michael T. Vough subsequently issued an order closing out the case.

In November, a federal jury convicted Christy of making threats against the president of the United States, making threatening communications and taking stolen firearms and vehicles across state lines.

According to prosecutors, Christy wrote on Facebook he would “put a bullet” in the heads of Trump and Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli, and also threatened “lethal force” against law enforcement.

During the ensuing three-month manhunt that spanned six states, Christy fled in a stolen vehicle to New York, near the border with Canada, and broke into several homes and businesses and stole other vehicles as he traveled through West Virginia, Kentucky, Maryland and Ohio before his capture on Sept. 21, 2018, according to prosecutors.

The Butler Township case involved a break-in at Christy’s uncle’s home on Klinger Road on July 25, 2018, when a Ruger P85 9 mm pistol, an AMT .380 pistol and a Smith & Wesson .22-caliber revolver were stolen, prosecutors said.

“I am sorry I had to hit you up but I have some rather bad people after me,” Christy wrote in a note left on the kitchen table, according to prosecutors. “I’d rather go out with some firepower.”

In addition to the Luzerne County case, Christy is also awaiting trial on three Carbon County burglaries committed during his time on the run.

Court records show those cases are still pending, with a hearing set on a defense motion to dismiss scheduled for April 14.

No date has been set for Christy’s sentencing on the federal charges.