Ephrata man pleads guilty to stealing Christmas gifts off of porches

EPHRATA — A 46-year-old Ephrata man was sentenced Oct. 5 to 45 days in the county jail after pleading guilty to stealing Christmas gifts and other packages off of the porches of Ephrata homes in 2018.

Benjamen Allen Stetner pleaded guilty to mail theft and possession of stolen mail, while additional charges of possession of a controlled substance were dismissed by the court.

Ephrata police were initially dispatched to the 300 block of Maringo Road on Dec. 24, 2018, for a report of a man driving into a resident’s driveway, taking a package off the porch and driving off. A person who reported the theft told police that they saw several other packages piled in the man’s backseat.

Another officer spotted the suspect vehicle and detained Stetner and a passenger, locating a number of Christmas gifts and other packages that were later reported stolen, according to court documents.