The brother and sister charged with several convenience store robberies last summer in Centre County and surrounding counties will face only one trial to include all charges, a Centre County judge decided last week.
Centre County President Judge David E. Grine granted a motion to consolidate the charges against George S. Patton and his sister, Caroll D. Patton, both of Patton Township, on Thursday.
"We believe the court made the right decision," Centre County District Attorney Michael Madeira said. "It saves everyone time, and it saves the defendant the constant of going to trial."
Had this decision not been made, the Pattons could have faced several separate trials, which Centre County Public Defender Deborah Lux has said would create a fairer environment for her client. Lux feared the consolidated trial would unduly influence the jury because of the sheer number of charges.
George Patton, 33, of 147 Azalea Drive, is accused of the armed robbery of nine businesses in Centre, Huntingdon, Blair, Clinton and Ferguson counties during the months of July and August. He is charged with attempted robbery of two other businesses. In nearly all the cases, police said Patton made off with an undisclosed amount of money.
The businesses include the Choice convenience store, 2110 N. Atherton St., on July 22; Papa John's Pizza, 2110 N. Atherton St., on July 25; Uni-Mart, 3700 Warriors Mark Path, on July 29; Snappy's convenience store at the intersection of state routes 390 and 220 in Blair County, on July 30; and two more robberies at the Choice convenience store, 10 S. Hanna St., on Aug. 1, and Raible's Pharmacy, 260 Main St., on Aug. 4, both in Clinton County.
He is charged with attempting to rob Kish Bank, 5473 McAlevy's Fort Road, on Aug. 3 and Laubscher's Grocery Sporting, 290 Walnut St., on Aug. 1.
Grine also denied a motion to drop charges involving the attempted robbery at Laubscher's Grocery. George Patton is accused of entering the store with the intent to rob it though he left when he was unable to find the clerk, according to court documents.
"The statute clearly states that a robbery may occur even if there is an only attempted theft," Grine wrote.
Additionally, Grine denied motions to dismiss charges involving robberies outside of Centre County and a motion for separate trials for the siblings.
Caroll Patton, also of 147 Azalea Drive, was charged with robbing Laubscher's Grocery and Sporting Goods with her brother.
Caroll Patton is also charged with criminal conspiracy in the robbery of the Uni-Mart in Warriors Mark and the Blair County Snappy's and with criminal conspiracy robbery in the attempted robbery of Kish Bank -- each alongside her brother.
Caroll Patton was also charged with robbing Choice convenience store and Raible's Pharmacy in Clinton County with her brother.
She originally denied knowing her brother's intentions but told the court in November that she knowingly aided him during the robberies, a plan she said paid for the pair's drug habits.
Both Pattons were also charged Aug. 9 with three robberies in Ferguson Township, Madeira said in August. They were charged with robbing Domino's Pizza, 1100 N. Atherton St., on July 27; the Uni-Mart Center, 3180 W. College Ave., on July 29; and the Snappy's Convenience Store, 1209 N. Atherton St., on Aug. 8.
George Patton was charged with robbery, criminal conspiracy, theft and receiving stolen property in connection with the Ferguson Township robberies. Caroll Patton was charged with robbery and criminal conspiracy related to the same robberies.
A pretrial conference for the Pattons is scheduled for Thursday.
