27-year-old Joseph Gillo Jr. of Clymer has pleaded guilty in Cambria County to charges related to a three-county crime spree earlier this year…but it’s not clear yet what he has pleaded guilty to.
Gillo was scheduled for a status conference in Cambria County Court last week but he asked for Plea Court instead. The District Attorney’s office says he did plead guilty, but has not said yet to what. His online docket sheet is not updated but the D.A.’s office says it “will be shortly”. We’re attempting to find out from the court administrator.
In four separate criminal filings, Gillo was charged with nine felonies, for robbery of a motor vehicle, three counts of receiving stolen property, aggravated assault by vehicle, accidents causing serious bodily injury, flight to avoid apprehension, and two counts of theft. There were also seventeen misdemeanor and summary offenses.
The two-day crime spree began on May 6th in Johnstown. That’s where police said Gillo carjacked a woman’s pickup truck as she was pumping gas, fighting her off and driving away, dragging her through the parking lot. She was seriously injured when he ran over her abdomen and legs, causing her to have emergency surgery. Police used surveillance video to identify Gillo as the suspect, and Carrolltown police later came upon the stolen vehicle at the Sheetz store there. Gillo was inside the store at the time and when police confronted him, he ran back to the stolen truck and escaped. He then stole his father’s pickup from the family’s driveway in Cherryhill Township and the next day, as he fled from police in Cameron County, he twice threw plastic bags out the window. Police took him into custody after deploying spike strips, which flattened all four of the truck’s tires.
