Man Pleads Guilty to Moon Carjacking

A McKees Rocks man pleaded guilty today to aggravated assault and robbery in connection to a 2011 Moon Township  

Joseph Manna, 29, appeared before Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas Judge Joseph K. Williams, where he pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated assault, and one count each of burglary, theft of a motor vehicle, theft by unlawful taking and robbery of a motor vehicle.  Manna also pleaded guilty to two counts of recklessly endangering another person, said court spokesman Michael Manko. 

Manna was sentenced to six to 12 years in prison. 

Stowe Police said at 5 a.m. Jan. 15, 2011, Manna broke into a Broadway Avenue apartment in Stowe Township, stabbed two residents of the home and stole a black Ford F-150 truck, which he used to travel to Moon Township. 

"A subsequent investigation revealed that the stabbings were an effort by Manna to eliminate any witnesses to the fact that Manna had stolen a computer from the same apartment one day earlier," Manko said in a statement.

said Manna drove the truck to Moon, where he rear-ended two vehicles on Spring Run and Brodhead roads, causing one woman to crash her car into a utility pole on in the early morning hours of Jan. 15.

Following the crashes, Manna fled and approached another woman about using her cell phone. He then pulled the woman from her car and stole her Mini Cooper, which he drove to West Viriginia, according to police reports. No one was injured in the attacks.

Police in Morgantown took Manna into custody after finding him at a homeless shelter. He has been held at the Allegheny County Jail since being extradicted to Pennsylvania in February 2011.