More charges filed against alleged 'Spider-Man' robber

Additional charges were filed Saturday against a robbery suspect from the Whitsett section of Perry who twice eluded police before his capture last week.

State police said Shane Nicholas Shipley, 27, of Fourth Street, ignored their commands and struggled with officers Thursday before his arrest in a field behind the Sunoco gas station along Route 40 in South Union Township.

Shipley had fled the Uniontown Mall approximately a half mile through a wooded area near Oak Grove Cemetery before he was tackled by Uniontown police Officer Delbert DeWitt, who was assisting the search.

In an affidavit of probable cause, state Trooper Kristen Zelechowski said Shipley refused to place his hands behind his back by holding his arms underneath his body when DeWitt used an open-hand strike to the center of his back.

Shipley then obeyed and was handcuffed, the trooper said.

While searching Shipley, police said they found him in possession of coins and currency " both American and foreign " and jewelry that is police said is thought to be stolen.

Zelechowski said police also confiscated prescription pills, a syringe and plastic smoking device. The pills were not prescribed to Shipley, she said.

According to the trooper, state police at the Uniontown Barracks received a call around noon Thursday from a mall employee, who said Shipley had used his state-issued photo identification to exchange coins for cash.

The employee told police she recognized Shipley's name and likeness from news reports.

Shipley fled the mall before police arrived and they began canvassing the area as the suspect ran though several properties, according to the trooper.

The suspect had reportedly avoided apprehension a day before, when state troopers went to a residence near Laurel Highlands High School in North Union to serve him with an arrest warrant.

Following Thursday's arrest, Shipley was lodged in the Fayette County Prison in lieu of $70,000 bond for the alleged robbery.

But on Saturday, when police reportedly learned he was about to post bond, they expedited the additional charges.

He was arraigned via video before Senior Magisterial District Judge Jesse Cramer 4:15 p.m. Saturday on those new charges: single felony counts of flight to avoid apprehension, possession of a controlled substance and escape and single misdemeanor counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, receiving stolen property, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.

Cramer placed Shipley on $30,000 cash bond. He remained in jail as of Sunday evening.

Shipley and two others, Matthew Adam Marquis, 23, and Misty Rae King, 28, both of Uniontown, face various criminal charges for the alleged robbery.

Police said Shipley was wearing a Spider-Man mask on June 22 when he and Marquis knocked at the door to the JC's Pool Hall in North Union after it had closed for the evening.

An employee purportedly told police the man in the Spider-Man mask had his hands hidden in the pockets of a sweatshirt and he appeared to be pointing a gun at her when she handed him two cash drawers.

State troopers later found Marquis hiding behind a couch and King under a bed at a residence in the Pershing Court housing complex in Uniontown.

Police said Marquis admitted the trio robbed the pool hall because King was broke and Shipley needed money “because he is hooked on drugs.”

Marquis and King remain free after each posted $25,000 bond on charges of conspiracy and resisting arrest.

Shipley faces charges of robbery, theft by unlawful taking and simple assault for the June 22 incident.

Rick Bruni Jr. is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at rbruni@tribweb.com or 724-684-2635.