Teen sons of Westmoreland County, PA, sheriff charged with armed robbery, grand theft

Police in Florida this week charged two teenage sons of Westmoreland County, PA, Sheriff Jonathan Held with armed robbery and grand theft. Tristan Held, 16, and Aiden Held, 14, were charged following the Dec. 26 incident along with 16-year-old Ernesto Hernandez in what Cape Coral Police on Thursday called a Snapchat transaction gone bad.

Police said they were called shortly after 10 a.m. Wednesday when someone reported that he had been robbed at gunpoint by three teens after setting up a meeting with them over social media to buy a vaping device for $120. The victim said the three pulled up to his home around 9:50 a.m. in a minivan and the driver, later identified as Tristan Held, pulled a black handgun, pointed it at him and ordered him to give him the money and anything else he had, police reported. The rear passenger, later identified as Hernandez, also pulled a handgun and pointed it at him, the victim told police.

The victim said he gave them his money, wallet and phone, jumped out of the van and ran inside to call 911. Shortly afterward, police stopped a silver Town and Country minivan and detained three teenagers, who the victim identified as his assailants. The youngest of the three, Aiden Held, was sitting in the front passenger seat.

Officers searched the van and found two handguns under the front passenger seat and cash on the driver seat, police reported. All three teens were charged with robbery with a firearm and grand theft and transferred to the Juvenile Assessment Center, police said.

Held could not be reached for comment at his office or on his cell phone. The two-term sheriff faces legal problems of his own. This month, a judge declared a mistrial in a public corruption case against Held after a juror who initially voted to convict him changed his mind. State prosecutors accused Held of using deputies and staff for political work while on the clock. Attorney General Josh Shapiro said he intends to try Held again in 2019.

https://triblive.com/local/westmoreland/14446965-74/teen-sons-of-westmoreland-sheriff-charged-with-armed-robbery-grand-theft-in