Chesco Man Waives Preliminary Hearing On Weapon Offenses

West Chester PA

29 April, 2022

10:33 AM

Description

CHESTER COUNTY —An 31-year-old Coatesville man waived a preliminary hearing on charges in connection with providing the weapon to a teen that led to the teen's brother fatally shooting himself, according to court records available Friday. William Thomas, 31, is in Chester County Prison in lieu of $50,000 bail after waiving a hearing before District Judge Gregory Hines in Coatesville on charges of illegally purchasing and transferring the firearm to Victor Lara-Ortiz, delivery of a firearm to a minor, and related charges.Lara-Ortiz, 18, is free on $100,000 bail awaiting a trial on involuntary manslaughter and related charges. Lara-Ortiz is a senior at Coatesville Area High School. Coatesville police said Lara-Ortiz left a loaded firearm unsecured on his bedroom table. The boy, Roman Aguilera-Ortiz, died of an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, according to the Chester County coroner's office. According to police records, detectives traced the gun's serial number through the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. They discovered that the Trop Gun Shop in Gap, Lancaster County, sold it to defendant William Thomas on Feb. 15. Thomas was not allowed to license or purchase a firearm because of a prior criminal conviction. Police said Thomas used Lara-Ortiz's phone number instead of his own and failed to report his prior conviction. Police learned that Thomas illegally transferred the semi-automatic Glock 43x to Lara-Ortiz the same day he purchased it. An examination of Lara-Ortiz's cell phone showed a video of Lara-Ortiz firing the Glock from a car on Feb. 16 in Valley Township.