May 23, 2018 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News
Three people are currently being held in Allegheny County Jail on charges that include attempted homicide in connection with a shooting Dec. 17 on Penny Street in the city.
Two of the suspects were ordered held for court this week following a preliminary hearing, while an alleged accomplice faces formal arraignment next week in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court.
Following a preliminary hearing Monday, Magisterial District Judge Eugene Riazzi ordered Aaron W. Smith, 24, of Pittsburgh's West End, and Cortrell L. McKenzie, 24, of Pitcairn, both held for court on charges of attempted homicide, aggravated assault, robbery, conspiracy, carrying a firearm without a license, theft by unlawful taking and reckless endangerment.
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May 22, 2018 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News, Duquesne News
It took less than a half-hour for a federal jury to convict two former Mon Valley men in connection with what prosecutors described as a "robbery spree."
Kahlil Shelton, 23, of Duquesne, and Deron Howell, 25, of Swissvale, are scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 1 by U.S. District Judge Billy Roy Wilson in Pittsburgh.
Both could face life sentences, a spokeswoman for U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady said Monday.
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April 18, 2018 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Announcements, Crime and Police News
(Photo courtesy U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency)
Allegheny County and local police are again teaming up with UPMC Health System, other agencies and private businesses to take unused prescription drugs off the streets.
The 14th annual National Take-Back Initiative, sponsored by the federal Drug Enforcement Agency, will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 28.
Law-enforcement and health officials say that unused prescription drugs --- especially painkillers --- are often abused by people to whom they weren't originally prescribed. And drugs disposed of improperly can pose a danger to birds, fish and other wildlife.
In the Mon-Yough area, drug collection sites will be available at UPMC McKeesport hospital, East Pittsburgh, Wilmerding, Clairton, Pleasant Hills, West Mifflin and the North Huntingdon Twp. town house.
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April 16, 2018 |
By Cami DiBattista | Posted in: Crime and Police News, Duquesne News
Residents of Duquesne are being invited to attend a town hall meeting to learn about happenings in the city.
The special meeting is slated for 6 to 8 p.m. April 25 in the Duquesne School District Auditorium on Kennedy Avenue.
Mayor Nickole Nesby will be there to answer questions, listen to ideas and hear comments about the city, programs, developments, service priorities and infrastructure needs.
Residents are encouraged to attend, join the discussion and get involved.
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April 13, 2018 |
By Staff Reports | Posted in: Crime and Police News
(UPDATED with additional information from arrest warrant and indictment.)
Two local men have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges they tampered with railroad signals.
The indictment, unsealed Wednesday, accuses William C. Brown, 24, of Elizabeth and Brandon E. Peck, 24, of Glassport of damaging railroad signals and equipment, U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady said in a prepared release.
According to the indictment, federal prosecutors claim that Brown cut cables on railroad signal antennas on a CSX equipment shack on Nov. 1. Prosecutors further claim that Brown and Peck returned the following day to remove the antennas.
Federal officials did not say where the incident occurred, but that it happened on a CSX Railroad line that is also used by Amtrak, within Allegheny County.
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April 11, 2018 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Crime and Police News
McKeesport and Allegheny County police are investigating a shooting Wednesday night that sent a 38-year-old man to the hospital.
A spokeswoman for Allegheny County police said that city police and paramedics were dispatched at 9:30 p.m. to the 2900 block of Palmgreen Street after callers reported that someone had been shot. The victim was wounded in the stomach, police said, and taken to a trauma center for treatment.
No details on his condition were available Wednesday night.
Homicide detectives were investigating, the spokeswoman said.
April 10, 2018 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Crime and Police News
A city man has pleaded guilty to charges that his school bus company employed drivers without conducting required criminal background checks --- and in one case, hired a driver who didn't even have a license.
Martin W. Betchy, 36, of Haler Heights pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges of insurance fraud, theft by deception and endangering the welfare of children, state Attorney General Josh Shapiro said in a prepared release.
Sentencing for Betchy has been scheduled for June 28 before Allegheny County Judge Ed Borkowski, Shapiro said. Court records indicate that Betchy is currently free in lieu of $15,000 bond.
Betchy was the owner of Three Rivers Transit LLC, which beginning in 2012 had a contract to transport children to and from Propel Schools.
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April 06, 2018 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Crime and Police News
Police are continuing their investigation of an accident involving a patrol car and a pedestrian near the bus station on Lysle Boulevard.
The victim, a 64-year-old woman from Versailles, is recovering in an area hospital and was in good condition on Thursday, McKeesport police Chief Bryan Washowich said.
She was crossing Lysle Boulevard between Sinclair and Sheridan streets just before 9 p.m. Monday night when she was struck by a city police car.
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April 06, 2018 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Crime and Police News
A motorist from Port Vue escaped with only minor injuries following a wild crash Thursday night in McKeesport's 10th Ward that sheared off two utility poles and left a major road closed until this morning.
McKeesport police Chief Bryan Washowich said the cause of the accident is under investigation, but that speed was likely a factor.
The 34-year-old male driver was on West Fifth Avenue heading toward the Mansfield Bridge just before 8:27 p.m. when his Toyota sedan went out of control.
The vehicle struck a parked car in the 500 block, then collided with a house and a telephone pole before rolling over several times and striking another utility pole, Washowich said.
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April 03, 2018 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Crime and Police News, White Oak News
A federal jury in Pittsburgh deliberated for only 20 minutes before convicting an East Liberty man in the robberies of two Mon-Yough banks.
Leonard W. Gibbons, 56, faces up to 22 years in prison and a half-million dollar fine after being convicted of breaking federal robbery and firearms laws, U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady said today in a prepared release. Sentencing before Senior U.S. District Judge Donetta Ambrose was scheduled for July 30.
Prosecutors allege that on July 17, 2015, Gibbons stole nearly $8,000 from Compass Federal Savings Bank in Wilmerding. About four months later, on Nov. 19, 2015, Gibbons stole nearly $4,000 from First Commonwealth Bank in White Oak, prosecutors said.
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