HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania prosecutors have dropped a felony theft cost in opposition to a person who underpaid for a bottle of Mountain Dew by 43 cents.
Prosecutors in Perry County dropped the theft cost this month in opposition to Joseph Sobolewski, 38, and downgraded one other cost, the Patriot-Information reported Tuesday.
In August, Sobolewski went into an Exxon in Duncannon and noticed an indication promoting two 20-ounce Mountain Dew bottles for $3, he mentioned. He took one bottle, slapped $2 on the counter for what he thought was a $1.50 soda and walked out, not realizing the low cost didn’t apply to a single bottle.
The bottle actually value $2.29, so together with tax, he owed the shop 43 cents.
State police discovered Sobolewski and arrested him on a felony cost. A decide ordered him held on $50,000 cash-only bond. He was in jail for seven days earlier than his public defender efficiently argued for his launch, the newspaper reported.
Sobolewski had twice prior to now 10 years been charged with theft, as soon as for not paying for a tank of fuel and one other time for stealing a pair of sneakers from a retailer. Below Pennsylvania’s three-strikes regulation, a 3rd theft cost should be a felony, whatever the quantity or worth concerned. He confronted as much as seven years in jail.
District Legal professional Andrew Bender didn’t reply emails or calls from the Patriot-Information. Sobolewski didn’t return messages searching for remark.
Sobolewski advised the newspaper it was “nice information” that the felony was being dismissed. “I really feel I used to be handled unequally as a result of I had a document.”
The newspaper previously reported that Sobolewski had been charged with theft in Cumberland County earlier in the summertime on suspicion of making an attempt to take objects from a Pastime Foyer along with his spouse. For that cost, his bail was set at $2,000, and he’s making use of for a diversion program there.
