Suspects in Ligonier business break-ins arrested on more burglary charges

Eight days after being released for their alleged involvement in a series of break-ins at Ligonier businesses, two men were arrested again Tuesday and accused in another series of burglaries, including one at a church office.

On Nov. 18, police arrested Hunter M. Fitchko, 26, at his apartment on the 200 block of East Church Street on multiple drug charges for allegedly selling Suboxone. During a search of Fitchko’s apartment, Ligonier Valley Police say they discovered multiple items reported taken during burglaries at Kingfisher Coffee on East Main Street and Diamond Hair Cut.

Fitchko, police say, claimed a roommate, Joseph “Tristan” Minno, 34, of Washington County, was responsible for those break-ins.

Both men were arrested on multiple charges and released from custody that day on $5,000 unsecured bond.

On Tuesday, police served another search warrant at Fitchko’s apartment after two more burglaries were reported at Heritage United Methodist Church on the Diamond and the nearby Connections Cafe.

More than $4,000, plus $425 in gift cards from Giant Eagle were taken in the church theft, according to police reports.

Police arrested Fitchko and his girlfriend, Madison P. Kunchar, 22, of Latrobe, after, police say, video surveillance obtained Tuesday showed the couple purchasing coffee at a nearby GetGo store allegedly using one of the stolen cards. Police say they also confiscated a small plastic bag of suspected methamphetamine, empty stamp bags of heroin and hypodermic needles from inside the apartment.

Police got an arrest warrant for Minno and later found him inside Lazur’s Photography Studio on East Main Street. Police allege in court documents that they arrested him with cash that was reported stolen in a separate burglary, plus merchandise reported missing in a second burglary in the same building.

Police say they also confiscated from Minno a small plastic bag containing suspected methamphetamine and hypodermic needles.

Minno was arraigned before District Judge Denise Thiel Tuesday on multiple burglary, criminal trespassing, theft and drug possession charges and ordered held in the county prison after failing to post $50,000 bond.

Fitchko and Kunchar were ordered to jail on similar charges after failing to post $5,000 bond each, according to court documents.

Preliminary hearings are scheduled Dec. 6 before Thiel.