By SANDRA K. REABUCK
EBENSBURG — A suburban Johnstown man who is charged in three drive-by shootings pleaded guilty Monday in county court to 27 charges, including eight counts of felony aggravated assault.
Craig W. Minemyer, 60, of the 100 block of Bockel Circle, Upper Yoder Township, was charged with shooting into a Stonycreek Township residence – on Sept. 27 and Oct. 2, both in 2005, and on Jan. 21, 2006.
Minemyer apparently wanted revenge for having been kicked out of a bar operated by one of the victims, District Attorney Patrick Kiniry said.
“The defendant had been thrown out of the bar, and he wanted revenge. This simmered for months,” Kiniry said.
No one was injured in the shootings. Two people reportedly were in the Penrod Street residence in the first two incidents and four in the last one, police said.
Minemyer was scheduled to have a nonjury trial Monday before Judge Gerard Long.
Instead, he entered a guilty plea in a plea bargain worked out by Assistant District Attorney Gary Costlow and defense attorney Robert Davis Gleason. Several charges, including attempted homicide, were dropped by prosecutors.
Minemyer, who has no prior record, spent about five months in jail prior to being released on bail on house-arrest conditions 10 months ago, Gleason said.
“He is subject to intensive supervision (while on bond) and has continued psychological counseling. He definitely has remorse for the situation and realized he needed counseling to cope not only with the situation but the causes,” Gleason said.
The defense attorney said the plea bargain “is a fair and equitable resolution for all,” avoiding what could have been “a long and expensive trial.”
Kiniry said the victims had lived in fear until the police found out who had fired the shots. Minemyer had told a friend what he had done, and the friend called police, the DA said.
Minemyer later was tape-recorded talking to the friend about the incident, Kiniry said.
