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KINGSTON — A man from Columbia County and his girlfriend were arraigned Tuesday on charges they sold a stolen gun for cash.
Police allege James Pavlichko Jr., 29, and Kathryn A. Teter, 28, both of Stillwater, arrived in a parking lot at Wyoming Avenue and West Market Street Monday night to sell a 40 caliber handgun for $200.
Pavlichko and Teter allegedly had stolen the handgun from a residence in Wilkes-Barre where they were allowed to stay Sunday night, police said.
Police allege Pavlichko wanted to quickly sell the handgun because he didn’t want to get caught with a firearm due to previous criminal convictions.
Pavlichko emptied a fully loaded magazine from the handgun before he had Teter give it to the buyer, police said.
Police charged Pavlichko and Teter with firearms not to be carried without a license, receiving stolen property, illegal transfer of a firearm and criminal conspiracy. Pavlichko was further charged with illegal possession of a firearm and criminal use of communication facility.
District Judge Michael Dotzel in Wilkes-Barre Township arraigned Pavlichko and Teter, who were jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of $100,000 and $50,000 bail respectively.
Police requested a high bail, claiming Pavlichko and Teter were “flight risks,” court records say.
An arrest warrant was issued by county Judge Tina Polachek Gartley on Feb. 12 for Pavlichko when he failed to appear for a pre-trial hearing on a retail theft charge, alleging he had stolen $174 worth of clothing from JC Penney, Wyoming Valley Mall, Wilkes-Barre Township, on April 18, 2014.
Pavlichko is prohibited from carrying, possessing and owning a firearm due to previous convictions.
Court records say Pavlichko was sentenced by Judge Thomas Burke Jr. in May 2009 to 18 months to three years in state prison on a charge of false imprisonment, including terroristic threats, reckless endangerment and simple assault in connection to an incident in Hazleton.
Hazleton police alleged Pavlichko refused to return an infant girl to the mother and threatened to kill the mother and infant and throw the bodies in a river, court records say.