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WILKES-BARRE — A homeless man was arraigned Wednesday on charges he was found sleeping inside Osterhout Free Library when the facility was closed to the public.

City police said they investigated a burglar alarm at the library on South Franklin Street just after 11 p.m. Tuesday and found a partially open basement door.

Officers went inside and allegedly found Erik Lee Ponder, 39, sleeping under a table, according to the criminal complaint.

Ponder allegedly told police he initially fell asleep near the library then decided to check the doors. He claimed he found an unlocked basement door and entered the library falling asleep under a table, the complaint says.

The complaint says Ponder claimed he is homeless and a homeless shelter denied him admittance.

Police checked the library for any other intruders finding no one else inside the building.

A representative for the library arrived and secured the facility, police said.

Ponder was allegedly found inside the library a day after Nanticoke police cited him with public drunkenness, court records say.

Ponder was charged with criminal trespass. He was arraigned by District Judge Diana Malast in Plains Township and jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of $1,000 bail.

By Ed Lewis

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Reach Ed Lewis at 570-991-6116 or on Twitter @TLEdLewis