Pa. man gets 6 years in burglaries of Plain homes

LANCASTER, Pa. - October 14, 2011 (WPVI) -- A central Pennsylvania man has been ordered to spend at least six years in prison for robbing the homes of Amish and members of other Plain religious sects while they were at Sunday church services.

The Intellgencer Journal/Lancaster New Era reports 24-year-old Martin Schenker apologized to his victims during a sentencing hearing Thursday in Lancaster County court.

Prosecutors say Schenker targeted more than a dozen homes during the spree. Plain sects include the Amish and conservative Mennonite branches.

The Intellgencer Journal/Lancaster New Era report says four children wrote letters to the judge saying they had their allowances stolen; two were saving to buy a pony. Schenker's attorney said his client took tools, money and firearms to feed a drug problem.

Schenker faces more burglary charges in neighboring Chester County.

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pennsylvania, lancaster county, burglary, local/state

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