Calls, writings led police to search for guns on property of Unity man linked to Cassandra Gross disappearance

Jailhouse phone calls and writings from Thomas George Stanko, who has been linked to the disappearance of Cassandra Gross, led state police to find 17 guns on his property and in a storage unit, according to search warrants released this week.

The warrants detail conversations that troopers believe were in code discussing the firearms among Stanko, 49, of Unity, and his mother and girlfriend in August 2018.

The warrants were part of a Wednesday pretrial filing in federal court in Pittsburgh. Prosecutors claim Stanko had the guns illegally because previous felony convictions dating back to 1989 prohibit him from possessing firearms.

Stanko’s attorney Komron Jon Maknoon is arguing in pretrial motions that state police did not have probable cause to conduct the two searches when the weapons were found. He wants the evidence barred from use at trial.

Cassandra Gross of Unity was last seen April 7, 2018. In the days after her disappearance, state police were seen searching two Unity properties Stanko owns. In May, troopers found a few items during a search at a home where Stanko’s mother lives on White Fence Lane next to Unity Cemetery. Those items were sent for testing. Police have not publicly detailed those items.

Stanko, jailed since April 2018 on unrelated charges, has denied any involvement in Gross’ disappearance.

State police searched the White Fence Lane home and a Greensburg storage unit in August 2018, according to the search warrants.

On Aug. 22, 2018, troopers sought to look for firearms and any writings from Stanko at the White Fence Lane property after listening to conversations he had with his mother and girlfriend from the Westmoreland County Prison, according to the warrant. Police said Stanko talked about a clock and Christmas decorations during the conversations, which troopers believe was code for firearms, and may have mailed the pair written instructions.

Police seized four firearms, ammunition, a birthday card and written notes from Stanko.

A week later, Stanko’s storage units in Greensburg were searched after a witness reported he stored guns there. Troopers seized a handwritten note from Stanko after he visited with his girlfriend and mother at the jail that said ‘Do they know anything about my garage?’ according to the search warrant.

Troopers found 13 more guns and ammunition there.

Several parts of the search warrants were blacked out from public view.

Maknoon is arguing that police didn’t have probable cause for either of the searches. In pretrial motions, he also is seeking notes made by troopers during the investigation, prior recorded statements of witnesses, information about expert testimony prosecutors plan to present and other evidence and documents.

A hearing date has not been set.

Stanko was indicted in May in Williamsport federal court for having a sawed-off .22-caliber rifle in Potter County in October 2018. It was unclear from the indictment how the rifle was found. He is set for arraignment July 23 in that case.

His mother, Almira Stanko, 83, is awaiting trial in Westmoreland County on three felony counts, including conspiracy and fraud, in connection with allegations she attempted to use her son’s government benefits account while he is in jail awaiting trial.

Cassandra Gross was reported missing April 9, 2018, the same day her blind and diabetic dog Baxter was found wandering alone in the Beatty Crossroads area. The next day, state police found her Mitsubishi Outlander burned almost beyond recognition in a wooded area near Twin Lakes Park.

Gross would have turned 54 in May. She was declared legally dead in January 2019 by a Westmoreland County judge. State police have continued to look for evidence of Gross’ whereabouts and they classify the case as a homicide. No arrests have been made.

Baxter died in May.