A Cooperstown man accused of harassing and threatening to kill a woman in Oil City and her children was held for court Wednesday in Venango County Central Court.
Jason Plues, 41, who was taken into custody March 16 at the Quality Inn in Titusville, is being held in the Venango County jail without bail and will now face further court proceedings.
Plues is also facing drug and firearms-related charges in the case because ammunition he isn’t permitted to have and methamphetamine were found in his hotel room, Oil City police said in a criminal complaint.
Plues had absconded from pre-trial house arrest and is facing felony strangulation and aggravated assault charges in another case in which he attacked the same woman last summer, “almost killing her,” the complaint said.
Police later learned that Plues was staying at the Quality Inn in Titusville under a false name, the complaint said.
Police were given keys to Plues’ room, and two Corry state troopers, two Franklin state troopers, three Titusville police officers and three Oil City officers went to the room at about 2:45 a.m. March 16, the complaint said.
Police then took Plues into custody without incident, the complaint said.
An Oil City officer then began collecting evidence in Plues’ room and found ammunition, a Dremel tool with attachments, drug paraphernalia, money in a bag and loose on a table that totaled $23,340, and a container with what appeared to be “a large quantity of methamphetamine inside it,” the complaint said.
Plues was taken to the Venango County jail, the complaint said.
He was held for court on felony counts of possession of firearm prohibited, retaliation against witness or victim, flight to avoid apprehension/ trial/punishment, and manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver.
He was also charged with misdemeanor counts of possession of instrument of crime with intent, terroristic threats, simple assault, criminal mischief, use/possession of drug paraphernalia, and stalking.
