News

10/8/19

by News Department on 10/08/19

Drug bust...

Two Girardville men are facing charges after drugs and drug paraphernalia were found in a home last month.

According to the Republican Herald, State police at Reading said the Schuylkill County Adult Probation Department, in conjunction with police from Frackville and Butler Township and the Schuylkill County Drug Task Force, executed a search warrant at 1 Upper Railroad St. on Sept. 24.

The warrant led to the discovery of more than 6 grams of suspected fentanyl, about 2 grams of methamphetamine and more than 50 grams of marijuana, along with paraphernalia.

Police said charges against 49 year old Francis Weikel, and 30 year old Jeremy Leatherman, will be filed with Magisterial District Judge Christina E. Hale, Frackville, at the conclusion of the investigation.

10/7/19

by News Department on 10/07/19

10/7/19

by News Department on 10/07/19

Tamaqaua fire displaces 2...

A fire damaged a home Saturday morning in Tamaqua, displacing two residents.

According to the Republican Herald, crews were dispatched to 20 W. Greenwood St. just after 10 a.m. and found heavy fire and smoke from the first floor.

Authorities said one woman had trouble breathing and was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

Officials said the house is reported to have extensive fire and water damage on the first floor, while the remainder of the home has smoke and heat damage. The other side of the home was unoccupied and sustained smoke damage.

The American Red Cross is assisting the husband and wife who lived in the home.

10/7/19

by News Department on 10/07/19

Charges filed for child porn...

A Mahanoy City man has been charged for downloading and trading child pornography.

According to Skook News, 53 year old Christopher Baker was charged by the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office with sexual abuse of children, in relation to child pornography, and criminal use of a communications facility.

Authorities received a tip through Cyber Tip-line and found that images and video of child pornography had been downloaded, viewed, and sent from 128 West Mahanoy Street, Mahanoy City.

Baker was taken into custody and arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Christina Hale. He was committed to Schuylkill County prison on $350,000 straight cash bail.

10/7/19

by News Department on 10/07/19

Charges filed...

Three men have been charged with the theft of two gaming machines from a Shenandoah convenient store last month.

According to Skook News, Ronald D. Neuman, of Mahanoy City, David Ortlip, of Pottstown, and Jesse Lewiski, of Stowe, were charged for stealing two gaming machines from the Valero Gas Station and Convenient store on September 21st.

Police say the three men enter the business, identified themselves as PLCB Officers; gave the clerk documentation that claimed to be a court order, placed the two machines into a U-Haul and drove off.

Neuman has been taken into custody. He was arraigned and locked up in Schuylkill County Prison unable to post $50,000 straight cash bail.

Arrest warrants have been issued for Lewiski and Ortlip.

10/7/19

by News Department on 10/07/19

Charges filed...

Three men have been charged with the theft of two gaming machines from a Shenandoah convenient store last month.

Neuman has been taken into custody. He was arraigned and locked up in Schuylkill County Prison unable to post $50,000 straight cash bail.

Arrest warrants have been issued for Lewiski and Ortlip.

10/7/19

by News Department on 10/07/19

Stabbing...

A man was stabbed by an unknown suspect early Sunday in Tower City.

According to Skook News, State Police at Schuylkill Haven said the incident occurred around 3:00am outside the "Garage Bar" in Tower City. Authorities say an unknown man pulled a large knife and stabbed a 26 year old man in the shoulder, then fled the scene on foot.

The victim was flown to Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, but his condition is not known at this time.

Anyone who may have witnessed the incident or that has information is asked to called police.

9/30/19

by News Department on 09/30/19

9/30/19

by News Department on 09/30/19

Man in custody...

A man accused of attempted robbery was taken into custody after running into a railing while fleeing police.

Hazleton police arrested 27-year-old Wander Ramirez Moya. They say he was armed with a screwdriver early Saturday morning when he tried stabbing a man over a money issue.

The incident happened outside the victim’s home at Lincoln and Fourth Streets. When police arrived, Ramirez Moya fled, but was apprehended after a brief foot chase.

He was jailed Saturday night in Luzerne County.

9/30/19

by News Department on 09/30/19

Shooting...

A Reading man was jailed after being charged by Pottsville police with attempted criminal homicide for shooting another man in the city Saturday night.

According to the Republican Herald, officers were called to the 400 block of East Arch Street for the report of a gunshot victim.

Police reportedly found a 45-year-old Reading man, who had been shot multiple times, inside a vehicle. Authorities say 25 year old Jordan Sanchez was charged in the shooting.

The investigation also led to the arrest of 40 year old Nicole Finken, of Pottsville, and additional charges against Sanchez, who was arraigned by on-call Magisterial District Judge Christina E. Hale, Frackville, and committed to Schuylkill County Prison without bail due to the attempted homicide charge.

Finken was also committed to prison unable to post bail.

9/30/19

by News Department on 09/30/19

Eric's Law...

U.S. Senator Pat Toomey announced that he introduced "Eric's Law" in the U.S. Senate.

The law is named after Eric Williams, a corrections officer from Nanticoke who was brutally murdered on the job in 2013.

Eric's Law would allow prosecutors to bring in a second jury if the first cannot unanimously decide on the death penalty. Related legislation has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. Now they just have to wait for it to hit the floors for a vote.

There is not set date on will that will be.

9/30/19

by News Department on 09/30/19

Former priest barred...

A former priest that once served in Schuylkill County has admitted to assaulting a minor.

According to Skook News, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Allentown reported 87 year old Father Stephen J. Halabura, who has been retired for 11 years, was found unsuitable for ministry after an investigation of an incident that he self-reported to the Diocese of Allentown.

Reports state that Father Halabura admitted sexually abusing a minor in the early 1980s.

After Father Halabura self-reported the incident, he was removed from ministry, and law enforcement was notified.

He remains barred from ministry.

9/27/19

by News Department on 09/27/19

9/27/19

by News Department on 09/27/19

Charges filed...

A 13-month-long investigation into a deadly crash has led to multiple charges in Luzerne County.

Police arrested 47-year-old David Dodd, of Hazleton, for a crash that happened in August of last year.

Police say Dodd struck a pedestrian with his car on North Church Street between 19th and 20th Streets in Hazleton. He then took off and the pedestrian was taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital where he later died.

Dodd is charged with multiple violations, the worst being third-degree felony of an accident involving death.

9/27/19

by News Department on 09/27/19

Christy...

27 year old Shawn Christy was in Schuylkill County Court this week, seeking to have one of his Schuylkill County cases transferred.

Christy claims there is a conflict now that Mike O’Pake, his former public defender, is now Schuylkill County’s district attorney.

Neither O’Pake nor Judge Jacqueline Russell had any objection to the action. The case to be transferred is from August 2018, involving Christy’s alleged burglary, theft and criminal mischief at Skipper Dipper’s Restaurant, located on Route 309, in Hometown.

Christy faces both local and federal charges. The federal charges stem from alleged Facebook threats to Northampton District Attorney John M. Morganelli and President Donald Trump.

Christy fled from the law for 113 days. His federal trial is scheduled to begin in November.

9/27/19

by News Department on 09/27/19

New Pumper...

The Liberty Fire Company, No. 4, of Schuylkill Haven announced that they have been awarded the Assistance to Firefighters Grant, in excess of $455,000.00 to replace their 1980 Mack CF pumper.

The federal grant awards were announced by the Federal Emergency Management Agency which administers the program.

The primary goal of the AFG is to meet the firefighting and emergency response needs of fire departments and non-affiliated emergency medical service organizations.

Since 2001, AFG has helped firefighters and other first responders obtain critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training and other resources necessary for protecting the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards.

9/27/19

by News Department on 09/27/19

Drug Bust...

A Schuylkill County man was found with over 2,400 bags of heroin during a traffic stop in Hazleton.

According to Skook News, Hazleton Police conducted a traffic stop involving 25 year old Brandon Cooper and Stefan Jordan at which time officers discovered the heroin.

They were both taken into custody, arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Joseph D. Zola and locked up in Luzerne County Prison unable to post $50,000 cash bail.

9/25/19

by News Department on 09/25/19

9/25/19

by News Department on 09/25/19

Prison sentence....

18 year old Dawson H. Loy, of Wiconisco, is headed to state prison after recently admitting to a Schuylkill County judge that he carjacked a woman’s vehicle, in January, in Tower City.

State police at Schuylkill Haven charged Loy with approaching Samantha Gordon while she was getting out of her vehicle. Loy and 18 year old William T. Wright II, of Williamstown, took Gordon’s SUV while she fled to the nearby Mid Penn Bank.

President Judge William E. Baldwin sentenced Loy to serve two to four years in a state correctional institution.

9/25/19

by News Department on 09/25/19

Company fined...

A company in Luzerne County has agreed to pay a fine in excess of $19,000 for foam buildup in a creek.

DEP says the fine against Henkel Corporation is for violations and five unpermitted discharges into Black Creek last year.

Officials say those discharges from the company's soap manufacturing plant near West Hazleton caused suds to form in the creek.

In addition to the fine, Henkel has replaced a wastewater line that caused the problem.

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