Ryan Marshall Sentenced for Crime Spree in North Hills Communities

A 24-year-old Glenshaw man who went on a drug-fueled crime spree in several North Hills communities was sentenced Thursday to up to 23 months in jail and 26 years of probation.

Ryan Marshall pleaded guilty to a long list of charges in nine criminal cases for incidents in Pine, Shaler, Hampton, Edgeworth and McCandless.

Charges included felony and misdemeanor counts of burglary, theft, receiving stolen property, access device fraud, criminal mischief, theft from a motor vehicle, criminal conspiracy, possession, loitering and prowling.

Common Pleas Judge Joseph K. Williams III sentenced Marshall to 11-1/2 to 23 months minus the 187 days Marshall has already served. He told Marshall he would cut the probation time in half if Marshall goes two years without a positive drug test and he gets a job.

"If (he tests positive for drugs), he'll be a very old man before he gets out," the judge cautioned.

Marshall's first arrest came in September when charged him with stealing credit cards, cash and gift cards from vehicles parked in the garage of a Drake Drive home in Pine Township after the owners accidentally left the garage door open overnight, court records show.

A pattern of stealing wallets, purses and other items from vehicles followed, along with a burglary at Treasure Hunt in Hampton in which he smashed the store window with a hammer and stole items from the store in Shoppers Plaza.

He told a Hampton detective that he stole items from the store to support his drug addiction, according to the criminal complaint.

When Marshall attempted to use the credit cards and gift cards he had stolen, his image often was captured on stores' security cameras.

When Judge Williams was informed that Marshall's father, mother and sister were in the courtroom, he called them to the bench and asked them what happened.

Ryan's father, Scott Marshall, told the judge that his son came from a hard-working family and that Ryan had worked since his high school days.

But, Ryan was laid off, had too much time on his hands, and got in with the wrong crowd, his father continued.

Once his son went through detoxification at the Allegheny County Jail, Ryan called the family to apologize and told them he was ashamed for them to visit him, Scott Marshall said.

Defense attorney Frank Walker II told the judge that Marshall has been remorseful from the outset and that he has a drug problem.

"I apologize for all the victims I hurt," said Marshall.

But the judge noted the victims were not in the courtroom and that it did not matter to the judge if he apologized.

"I'm impressed with your family more than you," said Williams. "You've gone awry ... You're preying on your neighbors and people you don't know."

The judge then asked Marshall what drugs he was taking.

"I was on pain killers," said Marshall.

"What do you have to be in pain about?" the judge asked.

"Nothing," Marshall replied.