Hempfield Area students plead guilty to weapons charges

Three teens charged in juvenile court were admonished by a judge Wednesday after they agreed to plead guilty to possessing guns at Hempfield Area High School in October.

Earl Aughinbaugh, 15, pleaded guilty to nine criminal counts including multiple felony charges of theft, possessing a gun on school property, illegal possession of a firearm by a minor and two counts of possession of a firearm without a license.

Noah Dove, 15, pleaded guilty to six counts, including three firearm offenses, theft of stolen property and disorderly conduct.

Riley Ott, 16, admitted guilt to four charges, three firearm offenses and one charge of theft.

“Old enough to know better. I’m sure your parents are thrilled with you,” Westmoreland County Common Pleas Judge Michele Bononi told the teens as they sat on the witness stand to admit guilt.

Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Troy Faulk testified Aughinbaugh confessed to stealing two guns from his grandfather and bringing the weapons to school after discussing the plan with two friends over social media.

Aughinbaugh gave one gun to Dove on a school bus and another weapon to Ott in a school bathroom, Faulk said.

He testified school officials were alerted to the weapons by students who claimed to see Ott with a gun in his backpack.

“A school resource officer approached Ott in a classroom, pulled him out and took him down to the principal’s office. His belongings were searched, and a gun was taken out of his backpack,” Faulk said.

Faulk testified at least one of the guns was loaded and a baggie with another 20 live rounds of ammunition was discovered, Faulk told the judge.

Prosecutors dismissed felony counts of risking catastrophe against all three teens. Charges related to allegations that Ott also possessed a small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia were dismissed.

All three teens have been out of the school since their arrest and attended online classes.

Probation officials testified the teens are connected to electronic monitoring devices and confined to their homes. They will remain on house arrest pending a final disposition hearing, akin to sentencing, by Bononi early next year.

First Assistant District Attorney Chuck Washburn declined to comment on the case and said his office likely will withhold any statements until after the disposition hearing.

The judge rejected a request made by Aughinbaugh’s defense attorney, Samir Sarna, to end the house arrest.

“This is a serious case, and, because of that serious nature of this, he’s lucky he’s out and on probation,” Bononi said.

She told another teen his behavior will be monitored over the next several months.

“You’re lucky to be alive … somebody could have been shot at school,” Bononi said.

Meanwhile, the Hempfield school directors this month implemented security upgrades that allow officials additional access to search students and their belongings for weapons.