Jury finds man not guilty in West Penn burglary

A Tamaqua man accused of burglarizing a West Penn Township home with a group of people walked free on Monday after a Schuylkill County jury found him not guilty.

Willis E. Negron, 36, was charged by township police with burglary, criminal trespass, criminal mischief, and 13 counts each of theft and receiving stolen property.

According to police, Negron, along with Kendra L. Crostley, 24, of Palmerton; Cole R. Kerschner, 26, of Lehighton, and Kayla M. Smith, 26, also known as Kayla Crostley, of Palmerton, entered Peter Kropf’s home through a window, and stole several guns, a coin collection, and jewelry in the early morning hours of Aug. 28, 2016.

Crostley pleaded guilty, and on Aug. 17 was sentenced by Judge Cyrus Palmer Dolbin to 16 to 32 months in state prison.

Kerschner pleaded guilty in September to burglary, criminal trespass, criminal mischief and eight counts each theft by unlawful taking of receiving stolen property. Judge James P. Goodman sentenced him to two years in state prison and to pay $24,848 restitution.

Smith, who testified against Negron, remains in Schuylkill County jail under $20,000 percentage bail as she awaits trial.