December 13th, 2011 by WCBC Radio
The Cumberland Times News reports a Frostburg man is facing a 30-year prison sentence after he pleaded guilty to carjacking Monday in Allegany County Circuit Court in connection with the April beating, robbery and kidnapping of his 71-year-old neighbor.
Jonathan M. Bittner, 29, entered the guilty plea when he appeared before Judge W. Timothy Finan, who ordered a presentencing investigation to be conducted by the Maryland Department of Parole and Probation.
Various charges of assault, robbery, burglary, kidnapping, motor vehicle theft and theft filed against Bittner in the April 28 incident were dismissed as part of a plea agreement, according to the State’s Attorney’s Office.
The state was represented by Assistant State’s Attorney Samuel Lane. Bittner was represented by attorneys R. Rozas III and S.R. Pillai.
Under Maryland law, conviction of the felony charge of carjacking carries a maximum prison term of 30 years.
Finan revoked Bittner’s bond and remanded him to the Allegany County Detention Center to await sentencing.
Bittner was arrested in a traffic stop in Pittsburgh a few days after the Frostburg incident in which he entered the victim’s residence, located a couple of blocks from Main Street in the center of town.
Bittner was reportedly wearing a mask and gloves when the victim awakened at about 2:30 a.m. to find Bittner standing at his bedside.
Police said Bittner then beat the victim while demanding cash and forced him outside and into the victim’s vehicle. Bittner then drove on Interstate 68 into Cumberland before he lost control of the vehicle, struck a median wall and then ran from the area. The victim, who was bloodied and wearing only his underwear, was found minutes later by a passerby who called police.
Cumberland Fire Department Ambulance treated the victim and then took him to the Western Maryland Regional Medical Center for further treatment of multiple injuries.
The investigation that led to Bittner’s arrest was conducted by the Frostburg Police Department and the C3I Unit.
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