Man Charged with Crimes in Pine, Mars, Zelienople Has Long Criminal History

Matthew Lohr shuffled into the magistrate's courtroom Wednesday wearing the gray striped prison uniform issued by Butler County Prison, his ankles and wrists cuffed.

The 29-year-old Mars man waived his preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge William K. Wagner on three felony charges of burglarizing a Pine Township home.

Then he returned to Butler County where he faces 75 charges in that county's court system. 

No Stranger to the Court System

This 5-foot-10 man with a slight build is no stranger to the court system.

His history of court appearances dates back to 2003 when Zelienople police charged then-19-year-old Lohr with burglary, receiving stolen property, theft, criminal trespass, criminal mischief and conspiracy, according to the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System Webportal.

In the past decade he has pleaded guilty to numerous crimes, served time, violated probation and parole, failed to show up for court hearings and paid part of the thousands of dollars he owes in court costs, fines and restitution.

Butler County court documents from 2006 state Lohr violated his probation by failing to report to his probation officer; abstain from alcohol or drugs; submit to random testing; and participate in counseling and treatment as he was directed to do.

Northern Regional police charged him in February 2007 with resisting arrest, DUI, driving with a suspended license and various traffic offenses. He pleaded guilty to all of those charges.

In past Butler County cases, he pleaded guilty to burglary, criminal conspiracy, theft, possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia. 

What's Next?

Now he is facing 75 charges in Butler County stemming from incidents in Mars, Zelienople and the county prison. 

His formal arraignment is set for Nov. 20 for the Mars and Zelienople cases.

On Nov. 19 he is scheduled for a preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Peter H. Shaffer on two felony charges of providing a controlled substance to confined persons that was filed by Butler County detectives.

In Allegheny County, the next step in Lohr's court saga is a Dec. 5 formal arraignment, which will be followed by a trial in the Court of Common Pleas within a few months.

The Zelienople and Mars Cases

Zelienople Police Department charged Lohr with 58 felony counts of burglary, theft, receiving stolen property and criminal trespass for the theft of baseball cards and jewelery from a home on Emerson Drive in August, according to the criminal complaint.

Less than a week later, he attempted to sell two of the stolen cards at Baseball Card Castle in Cranberry, the complaint said. He also sold jewlery taken from the home at the Cash For Gold in Shaler, the complaint said.

Mars police filed three felony drug charges, 11 misdemeanor drug-related charges and one charge of recklessly endangering another person after police pulled over the car he was driving on June 8.

After a search of the car, police found two needles and five empty stamp bags used to package heroin, the criminal complaint filed by Mars police said. Lohr's girlfriend and baby daughter also were in the car with Lohr when police pulled him over, the complaint said.

Keep checking back with Patch for updates on these cases.