Courts.
A DNA-linked investigation led to felony conviction; judge orders defendant to stay away from Merck properties
A Towamencin Township man charged in connection with the theft of a company vehicle from a Merck property in Upper Gwynedd Township pleaded guilty Friday in Montgomery County Court and was sentenced to county jail.
Thomas Edward Fuller III, 20, pleaded guilty to felony receiving stolen property and summary disorderly conduct, according to court records. Thomas M. DelRicci sentenced Fuller to four to 18 months in the Montgomery County Correctional Facility, followed by one year of probation. All remaining charges were not prosecuted.
As part of the sentence, Fuller was ordered to stay away from all Merck properties.
The case stemmed from the April 2024 theft of a 2020 Nissan Frontier pickup truck from Merck’s NW-2 facility in Upper Gwynedd Township. The truck, owned by U.S. Facilities, was reported missing after being seen on security footage being driven off the property at approximately 1:40 a.m. April 29, police said.
The vehicle was later recovered abandoned at a Philadelphia intersection on May 4, 2024. According to the criminal complaint, Upper Gwynedd Township police preserved the truck for forensic testing and collected DNA from multiple areas, including the steering wheel, gear shifter, start button, and key fob. A partially smoked marijuana blunt found in the cupholder was also submitted for DNA analysis.
Investigators said a Pennsylvania State Police DNA report confirmed with a high degree of certainty that Fuller’s DNA matched the samples recovered from the vehicle and the marijuana cigar.
Police said Fuller had previously worked for Securitas and was assigned to Merck’s security detail at the time of the theft. Although he allegedly had access to the area where the vehicle’s key fob was stored, investigators said he was not authorized to use the truck.
Detectives also reported the vehicle was briefly observed on May 2, 2024, improperly parked along Parkview Drive in Towamencin Township, roughly two-tenths of a mile from Fuller’s residence on Kriebel Road at the time. Police noted Fuller did not own a vehicle and was typically driven to and from work by his grandfather.
Authorities previously alleged Fuller drove the truck for several days before abandoning it in Philadelphia after running out of gas. DNA evidence ultimately led to his identification and arrest following a months-long investigation.
Fuller had also listed an address on Dana Avenue in Bensalem. He was originally charged with felony theft by unlawful taking, felony receiving stolen property, and misdemeanor unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. He had been free on $25,000 unsecured bail prior to Friday’s sentencing. Fuller was represented by Philadelphia attorney Eugene Tinari, per court records.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
