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All charges will be dropped against a Maryland teen who'd been accused of shooting a Fawn Grove man during a home-invasion robbery last fall, York County District Attorney Tom Kearney said.
"Justice requires it," Kearney said. "I'm just glad we're able to right a wrong."
Mason Michael Carter of Street, Md., was 17 years old when he was arrested for the crime. He was committed to York County Prison on $500,000 bail, but was released on his own recognizance last week when prosecutors told a judge it appeared Carter was innocent.
"Mason told troopers the entire time they had the wrong guy -- that he was innocent," said Korey Leslie, Carter's defense attorney. "He obviously feels vindicated that the truth has come out. ... He's just
A Baltimore man is now facing charges of attempted homicide, aggravated assault, robbery and burglary for the 1:30 a.m. Oct. 20 armed robbery at the home of William and Connie Cooper in the first block of Park Drive.
That man, Bradford Steven Holup, has not yet been extradited to York County, state police said.
Confession: Holup, 49, of 4004 Corse Ave., Apt. B, initially confessed to robbing the Coopers while being questioned by Baltimore County Police about a home-invasion robbery/shooting in that jurisdiction, officials said.
He told troopers he wanted the Coopers' car to rob a pharmacy in Whiteford, Md., and shot then-66-year-old William Cooper during the robbery, according to charging documents.
Holup is currently being held at the Western Correctional Institution in Cumberland, Md. He's charged with attempted first-degree murder, armed robbery and burglary for allegedly committing a home-invasion robbery in Baltimore County that ended with a victim being shot, according to Leslie and court records.
"As astonishing as it is, police (in York County) never would have known about Bradford Holup, had he not confessed," Leslie said. "He confessed without being prodded about it at all."
Tip was false: Kearney said he's saddened Carter spent nearly eight months in prison for a crime he didn't commit.
"Of course we're sorry," he said. "We had valid information that we acted on, but it turned out to be false. And we're taking to task the individual who was deceptive with us for her own personal reasons."
Kearney is talking about Cassie Jo Heath, 26, of 4336 Cooper Road in Whiteford, Md.
It was Heath who falsely told Pennsylvania State Police that Carter was responsible for robbing the Coopers, Kearney said.
According to Leslie, Heath is Carter's former girlfriend.
Neither Leslie nor Kearney could say why she allegedly lied about her former boyfriend.
"No one knows why she did it," Leslie said.
Connection? Chief deputy prosecutor Tim Barker said state police continue to look into whether Heath and Holup know each other.
"We don't have a connection at this point between (them)," he said.
Barker also said it appears Holup had no accomplices.
"Our information ... indicates that he acted alone with only the assistance of being dropped off by another male," he said.
Holup has a lengthy criminal record in Maryland that includes a Megan's Law sexual-offender conviction, records state.
Extradition: Barker confirmed Holup won't be brought to York County any time soon.
"We won't be able to extradite him for some time because he's answering separate charges down in Maryland," Barker said. "He will not be available to us until those charges ... are resolved."
Heath is expected to be extradited more quickly, he said.
She is currently being held at Maryland's Cecil County Correctional Facility on a probation violation, officials said.
In York County, she will be charged with making false reports, false swearing and obstructing the administration of law or other government function, charging documents state.
"We're doing what we can to right an injustice," Kearney said.
-- Liz Evans Scolforo can also be reached at levans@yorkdispatch.com.
