A former truck driver for Shady Maple will serve state-prison time for breaking into the business’ market store and stealing cash.

Christopher T. Myers took $600 – proceeds from Shady Maple’s stand at Lancaster Central Market – despite the business’ efforts to rehab him from a drug addiction.

Lancaster County Judge Donald Totaro recently ordered Myers serve 1 to 5 years in state prison, saying he “absolutely betrayed” the people who tried so hard to help him, according to Assistant District Attorney Travis S. Anderson, lead prosecutor.

Following Myers’ graduation from a drug rehab program, also owned by Shady Maple’s owners, he was given a job driving truck, and a fully-furnished apartment.

One of his duties was to pick up and transport money from the Central Market stand, according to Anderson.

Myers, formerly of East Earl, eventually relapsed and was fired in May 2015.

Two weeks later, Myers used a manager’s passcode to access the employees-only area of the East Earl market store where the money was secretly kept. He was caught on surveillance camera taking $600 and fleeing.

Myers pleaded guilty Oct. 26 to felony burglary and misdemeanor theft.

At sentencing last week, Anderson told Judge Totaro that many criminal defendants are drug addicts, like Myers. But most, Anderson said, don’t have the strong support system provided by the Shady Maple family.

Anderson requested a state-prison sentence.

Totaro ordered that, telling Myers he needed to be “removed from society,” according to Anderson.

East Earl police Officer Jeffrey Myers filed charges.

MEDIA CONTACT: Brett A. Hambright, 717-295-2041; bhambright@co.lancaster.pa.us; Twitter: @BrettHambright