Homeless man found sleeping in Omni William Penn Hotel presidential suite
November 6, 2013 1:30 PM
By Liz Navratil / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
A homeless man found sleeping Tuesday in the presidential suite at the Omni William Penn Hotel in Downtown Pittsburgh ended his night at the Allegheny County Jail.
Jeffery Watson, 48, faces charges of trespass and theft of services.
Guests attempting to check into the suite on the 16th floor of the hotel opened the door and found Mr. Watson sleeping on a sofa with his shoes off, Pittsburgh police wrote in a criminal complaint.
The guests called hotel staff, who called 911 about 7:30 p.m.
Hotel general manager Eric DeStefano said in a prepared statement that Mr. Watson was found in the parlor area of the suite, which is often used for small events.
"The door had been programmed to remain unlocked for an event earlier that day," Mr. DeStefano, who described the ordeal as an "isolated incident," said in the statement.
"As soon as the occupant was discovered, he was escorted off the property,"
Mr. Watson told Pittsburgh police he is from Los Angeles and came to the city about a month ago.
He told them he sleeps "wherever he can locate somewhere comfortable ... to rest his head," according to the complaint.
Mr. Watson is being held in the Allegheny County Jail in lieu of $15,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is set for Nov. 19.
November 6, 2013 1:30 PM
By Liz Navratil / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
A homeless man found sleeping Tuesday in the presidential suite at the Omni William Penn Hotel in Downtown Pittsburgh ended his night at the Allegheny County Jail.
Jeffery Watson, 48, faces charges of trespass and theft of services.
Guests attempting to check into the suite on the 16th floor of the hotel opened the door and found Mr. Watson sleeping on a sofa with his shoes off, Pittsburgh police wrote in a criminal complaint.
The guests called hotel staff, who called 911 about 7:30 p.m.
Hotel general manager Eric DeStefano said in a prepared statement that Mr. Watson was found in the parlor area of the suite, which is often used for small events.
"The door had been programmed to remain unlocked for an event earlier that day," Mr. DeStefano, who described the ordeal as an "isolated incident," said in the statement.
"As soon as the occupant was discovered, he was escorted off the property,"
Mr. Watson told Pittsburgh police he is from Los Angeles and came to the city about a month ago.
He told them he sleeps "wherever he can locate somewhere comfortable ... to rest his head," according to the complaint.
Mr. Watson is being held in the Allegheny County Jail in lieu of $15,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is set for Nov. 19.
