HERMITAGE
Brandl awaiting extradition
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Several states want accused con man By Hal Johnson
Herald Writer
The Akron, N.Y., man, who allegedly crossed the country claiming to be a firefighter and stealing in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks waived extradition Thursday morning.
Jerome Brandl, 34, waived his right to an extradition hearing in a brief proceeding before Mercer County Common Pleas Court Judge Francis J. Fornelli.
Of the six states with charges against Brandl, Wisconsin has the most charges filed, Hermitage police said.
Brandl was in Mercer County Jail this morning waiting for Wisconsin authorities to get him. In Wisconsin, he allegedly stole a $60,000 Mercedes from a state cabinet member who had befriended him.
Hermitage police arrested Brandl Oct. 29 at a local hotel, where he had checked in with the Mercedes under the name Jerome Sterling.
Hours before, Brandl, who also is known as Jarod Sterling, had befriended Monday Night Football TV crews at a Pittsburgh Steelers game, police said. He also stood on sidelines with firefighters in the aftermath of a plane crash Sept. 11 near Shanksville, Pa.
Authorities claim Brandl posed as a firefighter volunteering to help New York City firefighters. He also may have stolen credit cards from a woman he met at a New York fire station and compact disks from a woman he allegedly conned in Nashville, Tenn.
Prior to his extradition, Brandl was held in Mercer County Jail after failing to post $250,000 bond.
Hermitage police have withdrawn the lone charge of receiving stolen property they filed against him after the Oct. 29 arrest.
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