Police have charged a Deer Lake man, who already sits in prison on two sets of theft-related charges, with defrauding three more people, two for more than $35,000 and a third out of 12 vehicles.
Robert D. Schappell Jr., 42, of Lake Front Drive, has been charged with two counts each of theft by deception, receiving stolen property and deceptive business practices in one case, 12 counts each of theft, theft by deception, receiving stolen property and deceptive business practices in a second case and four counts each of theft by deception and deceptive business practices and two of receiving stolen property in the third.
Magisterial District Judge James R. Ferrier, Orwigsburg, arraigned Schappell on all charges set bail in each case at $50,000 straight cash and scheduled his preliminary hearings for 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. March 11.
Schappell remains in Schuylkill County Prison, where he already was being held on the other charges.
State police at Schuylkill Haven filed all three new sets of charges against Schappell.
Police allege that between April 2013 and July 2013, Schappell took $15,400 from David Wetzel, Schuylkill Haven, while promising to get him 10 vintage vehicles.
"(Schappell) never delivered the vehicles because the vehicles never existed," according to police.
In another case, police allege, Schappell told Jonathan Bowers, 33, of Cumbola, owner of Bowers Motorcycle Sales, New Philadelphia, he would be able to all-terrain vehicles, motorcycles, motorcycle parts and related items at a wholesale price. Bowers gave Schappell $20,700, but never received anything because the parts and vehicles never existed, according to police.
In the final case, according to police, James Hurley, 49, of Philadelphia, owner of Hurley's Auto Sales, Bristol, gave Schappell 12 flood-damaged vehicles, since the defendant had detailed and fixed the electronics in similar vehicles for Hurley. However, Schappell instead sold the vehicles in order to pay debts, police said.
Schappell already faces charges for allegedly taking $202,500 from Bruce Stidham, owner of Bruce's Auto Mall, Schuylkill Haven, in exchange for Corvettes and other vehicles. Police said Schappell neither provided Stidham with any vehicles nor returned the money to him.
He also has been charged with selling a red 2005 Hummer H2 that belonged to someone else.
After Schappell waived his right to a preliminary hearing on Feb. 18 in each of those cases, Ferrier bound over for the county court 21 counts of theft, theft by deception and receiving stolen proeprty in the first case and one count each of theft by deception, receiving stolen property and deceptive business practices in the other.
Police ask anyone else who may have been victimized by Schappell to call them at 570-738-1330.