Charges related to alleged pistol-whipping assault, drug-dealing will advance to county court
By Kathleen Brady Shea, Managing Editor, The Times
Charges against William C. “Pumpkin” Shockley Jr. will advance to Chester County Court.
A reputed street-gang leader known as “Pumpkin” was held for trial today on charges related to the alleged pistol-whipping, robbing, and threatening of a Coatesville man in April.
Presiding over the preliminary hearing for William C. Shockley Jr., 24, Magisterial District Judge Grover E. Koon ruled that sufficient evidence existed to hold William C. Shockley Jr., 24, for trial in Chester County Court.
Shockley, who was represented by P.J. Redmond, waived his preliminary hearing on separate drug charges. Chester County First Assistant District Attorney Michael G. Noone presented one witness in the assault case, which was the first of two arrests this month for Shockley, linked by police to a Coatesville gang called the Goonies.
He was initially taken into custody when investigators found him hiding in a Lancaster County hotel after being accused of stealing $4,000 and assaulting a Coatesville man, who is not being identified by investigators. The alleged attack occurred April 11 at Shockley’s home in the 100 block of Strode Avenue; the victim, who lost consciousness after being struck with the handgun, was treated for a broken nose and head injury at Brandywine Hospital, court records said.
In June, Shockley sent a letter to the victim “which contained threats of physical violence” if the victim reported the incident to police, the complaint said.
After police executed a search warrant at Shockley’s residence, they found 138 packets of marijuana ready for distribution as well as various “stop-snitching items,” the second criminal complaint said.
According to court records, Shockley has been arrested numerous times; however, many of the charges, including drug offenses, have been dismissed or withdrawn. In November 2008, he was sentenced to six to 23 months in prison for illegal possession of a firearm, court records said.
Shockley has been incarcerated at Chester County Prison after failing to post $30,000 cash bail.
