Judge tosses out dozens of charges in North Huntingdon gun theft case

Dozens of weapons charges were dismissed Wednesday against an Allegheny County man accused of stealing guns from a North Huntingdon home.

Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Meagan Bilik ruled prosecutors did not have sufficient evidence to support theft allegations regarding 10 weapons. She dismissed 51 counts, including felony charges of illegal gun possession, theft, the improper sale of weapons and other related offenses.

John Steven Hudak, 48, of McKeesport has been in jail for more than a year after he was charged with 66 offenses related to allegations that he stole and later sold weapons from a home in North Huntingdon.

The judge upheld 15 charges related to three weapons he is accused of taking in August 2021.

Police said Hudak took photographs of the guns and communicated with potential buyers through Facebook Messenger.

Hudak was interrogated by police while attending a drug rehabilitation treatment center in Indiana and, according to court records, he confessed that he sold or traded the guns to purchase drugs. Police seized Hudak’s cell phone and discovered photos of the purported stolen weapons and conversations with possible buyers.

Hudak’s lawyers argued prosecutors could not say what specific guns were stolen or if they were later sold.

The judge ruled there was enough evidence for prosecutors to continue the case against Hudak involving three guns.

His trial on 15 felony remaining counts is tentatively scheduled to begin in January.