March 17, 2016 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Crime and Police News
A West Mifflin man has been sentenced in federal court to 72 months' imprisonment, followed by 15 years supervised release, on a charge of distribution of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, U.S. Attorney David J. Hickton said today.
United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak imposed the sentence on Paul Robert Fike, 37.
Prosecutors allege that in June 2014, Fike distributed images containing material that depicted sexual acts performed by children. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Lieber Smolar prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
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March 09, 2016 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Crime and Police News
A Whitaker man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh in connection with the death of a drug user.
Justin Thornton, 32, is accused of distributing acetylfentanyl and fentanyl in August 2015 that killed a user, says a spokeswoman for U.S. Attorney David J. Hickton.
The indictment also charges Thornton with possession with intent to distribute heroin, acetylfentanyl, fentanyl, crack cocaine and cocaine.
Fentanyl is a prescription narcotic used to control severe pain. Widely abused, the drug is sold illegally under street names such as "china girl" and "china white." According to published reports, nearly 100 people in Allegheny County died last year from abusing fentanyl.
Acetylfentanyl is a so-called designer drug that is similar to fentanyl.
Thornton is currently being held in Allegheny County Jail awaiting a trial April 20 before Common Pleas Court Judge Edward J. Borkowski on drug trafficking charges filed by Allegheny County Police.
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March 07, 2016 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Crime and Police News
- Arrest records published here were provided by the McKeesport Police Department.
- A report of an arrest does not mean the person identified has been convicted of a crime.
- All people arrested are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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March 04, 2016 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Crime and Police News
Dravosburg officials and McKeesport police are warning residents not to open their doors to salespeople unless they have a "hawker's permit" from the borough.
An email sent Wednesday by the borough said that if someone comes door-to-door, residents should feel free to ask to see the permit, and that if they "cannot produce their permit, please call 911."
On Tuesday, McKeesport police arrested a Florida man after a resident of Scott Drive in Dravosburg reported someone had come to their door selling books on behalf of a charity. James A. Gundrum, 30, of Riviera, Fla., is charged by McKeesport police with theft by deception.
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March 03, 2016 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Crime and Police News
A man from Pittsburgh's East Liberty neighborhood has been indicted by a federal grand jury in connection with the robbery of the First Commonwealth Bank in White Oak and Compass Federal Savings Bank in Wilmerding.
Leonard D. Gibbons, 55, of Station Street was indicted Tuesday on five counts, including bank robbery and violations of federal firearms laws, U.S. Attorney David J. Hickton said yesterday.
Gibbons is currently being held in the Allegheny County Jail in lieu of $250,000 bond, court officials said.
Investigators said that on July 17, 2015, Gibbons held up Compass Bank, fleeing with $7,828. Four months later, on Nov. 19, 2015, Gibbons used a firearm and held up First Commonwealth, netting $3,971, Hickton said.
According to a published report, the robber was spotted fleeing First Commonwealth by a worker at a nearby store, who gave police a description of his getaway car. When the car was seen in McKeesport a short time later, city police and the Allegheny County sheriff's office gave chase and ultimately arrested the driver, identified as Gibbons.
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March 02, 2016 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Crime and Police News
Three Allegheny County residents have been indicted by a federal grand jury for violating firearms laws.
In a 13-count indictment returned on Tuesday, Joshua Bristo, 23, and James Pamplin Jr., 21, both of Clairton, along with Richard Van Holt Jr., 27, of Mt. Oliver, were charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, tampering with a witness by threat of physical force, and brandishing, using, carrying, and possessing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, said U.S. Attorney David J. Hickton.
Prosecutors said that the three men were not eligible to own firearms due to past felony convictions. Instead, Hickton said, the men falsified purchase forms so that they could buy weapons.
The indictment also charges that in March 2015, Bristo pointed a gun at a witness and threatened to kill him.
“Individuals who illegally sell guns end up arming violent criminals, who time and again pull the trigger on our streets and put the public’s safety at risk,” said Sam Rabadi, a special agent-in-charge in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.and prosecute gun crimes.
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February 24, 2016 |
By Jason Togyer | Posted in: Crime and Police News
A McKeesport man is being held in the Allegheny County Jail on $100,000 cash bond after leading police on a wild chase through the Mon Valley that ended with a crash on the Parkway East.
According to court officials, Andre Lamont Johnson, 27, faces a preliminary hearing at 8:30 a.m. Feb. 29 before Magisterial District Judge Eugene Riazzi on an array of charges, including driving under the influence, aggravated assault and multiple moving violations.
McKeesport police Chief Bryan Washowich said officers on routine patrol Friday night near the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Lysle Boulevard pulled alongside a car and smelled a "strong odor" of burnt marijuana.
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February 17, 2016 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Crime and Police News
A resident of Carroll Twp., Washington County, has been sentenced in federal court to two years of probation on his conviction of theft of government property, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.
U.S. District Judge David S. Cercone in Pittsburgh imposed the sentence on 68-year-old Gregory Kavalec.
Prosecutors said that between October 2013 and September 2014, Kavalec collected Social Security benefits to which he wasn't entitled amounting to nearly $18,000.
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February 11, 2016 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Crime and Police News
- Arrest records published here were provided by the McKeesport Police Department.
- A report of an arrest does not mean the person identified has been convicted of a crime.
- All people arrested are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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February 11, 2016 |
By Submitted Report | Posted in: Crime and Police News
A sweep Tuesday by McKeesport police, the county sheriff's office, FBI agents and other law enforcement agents netted 21 arrests, three firearms and pre-packaged heroin with an estimated street value of $20,000.
The so-called "Impact Initiative" in what an FBI agent referred to as "the most troubled areas" of the city was made public Thursday morning.
Scott Bernazzoli of the FBI's Pittsburgh field office said the McKeesport operation could become a model for similar joint federal-local sweeps in other parts of Allegheny County.
"The operation shows the impact (that) coordinated efforts can have on communities," said Gregory Nelsen, assistant special-agent-in-charge of the FBI's Pittsburgh field office.
Names of the persons arrested have not yet been released.
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