Indiana County District Attorney Robert Manzi says a 28-year-old Indiana man will spend up to five years in state prison for stealing and trying to sell a firearm.
Brett Derck pleaded guilty in three separate cases to charges including theft of a firearm, receiving stolen property, and possessing a firearm without a license. A judge sentenced him to serve 20 to 60 months in a state correctional facility. He’s also required to pay court costs and fines and is not eligible for early release under the state’s RRRI program.
According to investigators, Pennsylvania State Police in Indiana were alerted that Derck had stolen a firearm from a local business owner. Police say he then attempted to sell the gun unlawfully. State police worked with Indiana Borough Police and other agencies across western Pennsylvania during the investigation.
Manzi says the stolen gun could have been used to seriously harm innocent people and praised law enforcement for tracking down the defendant and stopping what he called a potentially dangerous situation.
