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Plymouth teen sentenced to state prison for 2017 robberies

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Lawsuits filed against troubled Hanover Township bar

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; An Old Forge man who admitted to swindling more than $171,000 from an elderly woman in Mountain Top and stealing nearly $2,700 from a blind woman in Scranton will spend at least three years in state prison.</p><p>Richard Joseph Hannick, 64, of Wood Street, was sentenced Thursday by Judge David W. Lupas to 18 months to three years in state prison on a theft charge for stealing large amounts of cash from an 83-year-old in Wright Township. Hannick pleaded guilty to the charge Dec. 21.</p><p>Lupas set up his sentence to begin once Hannick completes a sentence of 18 months to three years imposed by Lackawanna County Judge Michael Barrasse on Dec. 18 for stealing money from a blind woman, who believed Hannick was helping her pay rent and utility bills.</p><p>Wright Township police charged Hannick in April 2018 after the daughter of the elderly woman discovered $171,152.54 was missing from her mother&#8217;s bank account.</p><p>The elderly woman told police she first met Hannick when he approached her while playing slot machines at Mohegan Sun Pocono casino. She later realized Hannick learned her name when she put her casino player&#8217;s card in the slot machine that displayed her name, court records say.</p><p>Over the next few weeks, Hannick made up excuses to get money from the elderly woman.</p><p>Police alleged Hannick coached the woman in what to say to bank tellers when she made large monetary withdrawals from PNC Bank branches in Mountain Top, Hanover Township, Wilkes-Barre Township and Scranton.</p><p>Police stated in court records Hannick acquired $171,152.54 from July 14 to Aug. 15, 2017, from the elderly woman. </p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/web1_Richard-Hannick-04092018.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Hannick </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/web1_Richard-Hannick-04092018.jpg</photo0><caption0>Hannick </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Ed Lewis</p><p>elewis@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div>

Old Forge man gets prison for swindling $171K from Mountain Top woman