Trial dates set

PRINCETON — Andrew Noriega, 27, of Davenport, Iowa, appeared in Bureau County Court Monday morning before Associate Circuit Judge C.J. Hollerich.

Noriega is charged with theft under $500 for allegedly stealing a donation jar from the Sheffield's Casey's General Store Dec. 16.

Noriega turned himself in after photos of a then-unidentified man taken from Casey's security camera were released to the BCR and other media outlets. The jar had contained money being collected by a group of Sheffield residents to replace the aging equipment playground equipment at Sheffield's Veterans Park.

Noriega, with short hair and a trimmed beard, appeared by himself. He conferred with Bureau County Assistant State's Attorney Tony Sciuto before approaching Hollerich. Hollerich granted Noriega's application for a public defender and set a pre-trial date of 10:30 a.m. April 24, and a trial date of 9 a.m. May 7.

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