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BRIEF: Slatington woman withdraws plea in stolen computer caseNov 21, 2012 (The Morning Call (Allentown - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- A Slatington woman who pleaded guilty earlier this year to stealing 17 laptop computers worth about $27,000 from Buckeye Partners in Breinigsville withdrew that plea in Lehigh County Court this week, court records show. Brandi Vreeland, 38, is now scheduled to stand trial on Jan. 7. Judge Douglas Reichley on Tuesday approved Vreeland's request to withdraw the plea agreement she reached in May. Vreeland pleaded guilty to receiving stolen property, a felony that carries a prison sentence of up to seven years. In return for that plea, charges of theft and criminal use of a communication facility were dropped. The man police say she sold the computers to, David Richiez, 39, of Allentown, was previously placed in a program for first-time offenders. Richiez will spend 15 months in the county's Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program on a receiving stolen property charge. If he successfully completes the program, he could have his charges dismissed. Police say Vreeland stole the computers while supervising a cleaning crew at Buckeye Partners from July to October 2010. Richiez allegedly bought 17 HP EliteBook laptops from Vreeland for between $225 and $325 per computer after he found Vreeland's ad on Craigslist. ___ (c)2012 The Morning Call (Allentown, Pa.) Visit The Morning Call (Allentown, Pa.) at www.mcall.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |