A Ligonier man with an extensive criminal history in Westmoreland, Indiana, Cambria, and Armstrong counties is in trouble again for crimes allegedly committee while in prison.
43-year-old Dennis Michael Shank is charged with possessing an instrument of crime with intent and “inmate procuring a weapon for himself” for trying to make a weapon out of the wires from face masks. Westmoreland County detectives say he intended to use the weapon to escape from the county prison, where he was incarcerated in a drug case. Another inmate alerted prison officials of Shank’s activities and corrections officers seized two long, thin pieces of metal inside the his footwear and another piece hidden inside the arm of a desk chair.
The investigation revealed that Shank intended to try to escape during a preliminary hearing scheduled for June 28th. After he was caught with his handmade weapons, he waived the hearing.
Shank has a long criminal history in Indiana County, going back to 1997, including theft cases, simple assaults, terroristic threats, and disorderly conduct. He has previously been listed as living in Blairsville and Black Lick.
A preliminary hearing on the new charges is scheduled for July 19th.
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