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Judge denies Shenandoah teens work release
Published: July 3, 2009
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share thisThe two Shenandoah-area teenagers convicted in connection with the beating death of an illegal Mexican immigrant in July 2008 will not be able to work while in prison, a Schuylkill County judge ruled Thursday.
Brandon J. Piekarsky, 17, of Shenandoah Heights, and Derrick M. Donchak, 19, of Shenandoah, will not be able to work while behind bars, President Judge William E. Baldwin ordered.
Piekarsky and Walsh are scheduled to report to county prison at 9 a.m. July 19. As of Thursday afternoon, neither had filed an appeal in the case.
Baldwin's ruling, which did not detail his reasons for denying work release, does not affect the sentences imposed on either teenager, but it means they will not be allowed to leave the county prison for however long they will have to serve for the assault against Luis Eduardo Ramirez Zavala.
Work release would have allowed each teen to leave the prison to travel to a job; however, they would have been required to return to the prison each evening.
On June 17, Baldwin sentenced Piekarsky to six months and seven days to 23 months and Donchak to seven to 23 months for simple assault and alcohol-related offenses.
His sentence followed a county jury's verdict on May 1 that also found Piekarsky not guilty of third-degree murder and both teens not guilty of aggravated assault and ethnic intimidation.
The verdict ended a five-day trial that attracted nationwide attention and led to calls from special-interest and civil rights groups for a federal investigation, which is proceeding. No charges have been filed against either teen yet in federal court.
Schuylkill County detectives charged Piekarsky and Donchak with assaulting Ramirez, 25, of Shenandoah, on July 12 on West Lloyd Street near the Vine Street Park in Shenandoah. Ramirez died two days later at Geisinger Medical Center, Danville.
Colin J. Walsh, 18, of Shenandoah Heights, who had been charged with third-degree murder and other crimes in county court in connection with the case, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to violating Ramirez's civil rights and testified against Piekarsky and Donchak. Prosecutors dropped the county charges against him.
Walsh is awaiting sentencing and faces four to nine years in a federal correctional institution.
Brian Scully, 18, of Shenandoah, was charged as a juvenile in connection with the beating and is awaiting final disposition of his case. He also testified against Piekarsky and Donchak.
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