Area Man Accused in Over $11,500 Theft from Paint Township Antique Store Reschedules Plea Hearing (original) (raw)

CLARION CO., Pa. (EYT) — A plea hearing for an Oil City man accused of felony theft after he allegedly failed to pay for over $11,500 in merchandise from the Clarion Antique Mall in Paint Township was granted a continuance last week.

During a special plea hearing on June 3 at the Clarion County Complex, 35-year-old Gavin Daniel Eisenman, of Oil City, was expected to enter a plea to the following charge:

However, Clarion attorney John Patrick Troese, who represents Eisenman in the case, said his client was not prepared to enter a plea that day, as there were still details of a plea agreement with the Clarion County District Attorney’s Office that Eisenman wanted to review.

President Judge Sara J. Seidle-Patton granted a continuance of the hearing, with the recommendation that the defense and prosecution meet for a criminal conference in the meantime.

Eisenman’s plea hearing has been rescheduled for July 15 at 9:00 a.m. in Courtroom #1 of the Clarion County Courthouse. A criminal conference is scheduled with the District Attorney’s Office on June 17.

Eisenman remains free on $5,000 unsecured bail, according to court records.

Details of the case:

According to a criminal complaint filed by State Police in Clarion, Eisenman is accused of taking possession of multiple antique items valued at $11,525 and failing to provide payment.

The investigation began on August 4, 2025, when the owner of the business reported a theft to the state police. The owner told investigators that Eisenman took the antiques with an agreement to return later with payment, according to the complaint. She provided police with a receipt documenting the items given to Eisenman, the complaint continues.

The owner informed police that Eisenman did not return to pay and stopped responding to her attempts to contact him, the complaint states.

Clarion-based State Police contacted Eisenman on the day the report was made. Eisenman initially agreed to meet with police at the Clarion station but later declined to speak without an attorney, the complaint notes.

In October 2025, a PSP Clarion trooper reviewed text messages between Eisenman and the woman. In those messages, Eisenman acknowledged he owed money and stated he would pay, according to the criminal complaint. The complaint notes that Eisenman has not returned the property or provided any payment.

He was arraigned on Monday, January 12, 2026, at 8:45 a.m. in front of Magisterial District Judge Jarah Lee Heeter.