A homeless man was arrested on New Year’s Eve after being found inside a vacant downtown Pottsville business building.
According to court documents filed by police in Pottsville, officers responded to a trespassing call at the former Heaven & Earth salon at 212 N. Centre St. Police say a relative of the building owners contacted them after finding a man – later identified as James Tolan, 36 – inside the building with the door open.
The owners of the building were contacted and they confirmed that Tolan was not permitted to be there.
While in custody, Tolan reportedly told police that an older man with gray hair invited him to stay at that dowtown building. Tolan said he didn’t have any other information about this gray-haired man but told police that all his personal belongings were in the building.
Tolan was arraigned before District Magistrate Judge James Reiley on the afternoon of New Year’s Eve. He is charged with third-degree felony criminal trespass and third-degree misdemeanor trespassing.
Reiley set bail at 10% of $10,000 and remanded Tolan to Schuylkill County Prison, where he’s currently housed.
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