Crime

Bellefonte couple arrested, charged in several smash-and-grab thefts at Centre County businesses

A Bellefonte couple was arrested Saturday and were charged in a handful of smash-and-grab thefts at Centre County businesses where thousands of dollars of damage was caused or money was stolen.

Tre Estes-Stalnos, 21, and Skylar Brown, 20, were accused by state police at Rockview of demanding a man’s wallet and phone at gunpoint at the Econo Lodge in Benner Township.

Estes-Stalnos was also accused by State College police of shooting his way into Rite Aid, 1927 S. Atherton St., and two businesses inside the Nittany Mall.

Estes-Stalnos and Brown confronted a State College man at the motel in January after they met on an online escort service, state police wrote in an affidavit of probable cause.

The man agreed to pay $500 for “sexual favors,” police wrote, but was instead held at gunpoint. Estes-Stalnos stole the man’s wallet and phone, struck him with a handgun and fled, police wrote.

The drugstore chain was vandalized in December. Estes-Stalnos was accused by borough police of stealing more than $4,500 worth of prescriptions and causing more than $2,200 of damage.

Estes-Stalnos was also accused of ransacking Journey’s and I-Cell Repair inside the mall.

He used a 9 mm handgun to shatter Journey’s showcase window and stole more than $200, police wrote. Several cabinets were broken at I-Cell Repair, police wrote.

A defense lawyer was not listed for Estes-Stalnos or Brown.

Estes-Stalnos was charged with 22 felonies, including robbery, burglary, criminal trespassing, criminal mischief, receiving stolen property, theft by unlawful taking and prohibited possession of a firearm. He was also charged with one misdemeanor count each of possession of a small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Brown was charged with four felony counts of robbery, two felony counts of receiving stolen property and one misdemeanor count each of possession of a small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Each were arraigned Saturday by District Judge Kelley Gillette-Walker, who denied bail. They are a “serious risk to the public” and faced similar allegations in Florida, according to a court document.

Each has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Feb. 9.

A Bellefonte couple was accused of a robbery at the Econo Lodge in Benner Township earlier this month.
A Bellefonte couple was accused of a robbery at the Econo Lodge in Benner Township earlier this month. Bret Pallotto bpallotto@centredaily.com
Bret Pallotto
Centre Daily Times
Bret Pallotto primarily reports on courts and crime for the Centre Daily Times. He was raised in Mifflin County and graduated from Lock Haven University.
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