Businessmen Nabbed By Cops For Good Cause

Three local business leaders were “arrested” for a good cause Monday evening.

Brian Bentley, owner of Brian’s Harley-Davidson; attorney Tom Hecker from Begley Carlin & Mandio; Jim Merrill, CEO of Inspire Federal Credit Union, were taken into custody by police during the Middletown Board of Supervisors meeting. The men were taken downstairs to the police department’s holding cell where they posed for photos and met the on-duty K-9, Dexter, and Officer Dave Berry.

The only way for the men to make bail is by obtaining contributions for the Middletown Community Foundation, which is raising about $10,000 to help the township police department purchase a new K-9 dog.

From the wanted poster:

All these men are wanted for skipping bail on original charges of Defiant Trespass and Disorderly Conduct. They were taken into custody for entering the local animal shelter and setting all the puppies and kittens free. The three men were caught on video surveillance luring all the animals out with doggy treats and catnip.

Bail was set by the local magistrate in the amount of $3,500 apiece, with the stipulation that all monies be donated to fund the purchase of a new police K-9.

Bentley, Hecker and Merrill took their arrests with chuckle. The men then posed with Dexter in one of the township’s holding cells.

Lt. Pete Feeney said the new K-9 dog will replace Max, a 10-year-old dog assigned to Officer Jeff Swenson. Max is being retired from the department due to his age.

The new K-9 will be assigned to Officer Steven Andrews, who joined the department in May 2015, Police Chief Joseph Bartorilla said.

Middletown currently has four K-9 units, one for each of the shifts. One of the dogs is solely trained on patrol work, another in drug detection and two others in sniffing out explosives.