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criminal complaints

September 21, 2017

Line Ave. Resident Facing Child Porn Charges, Freed on Surety Bond

A Line Ave. resident is facing 22 counts of child pornography charges following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. According to New Castle News, Robert Lee Rogers, 48, of 632 Line Avenue, Ellwood City, was investigated after allegedly downloading images of juvenile girls on his computer. The FBI alerted the district attorney’s office of their findings, prompting a search of Rogers’ laptop computer. Agents discovered additional child pornography images that did not meet parameters established for FBI prosecution and the prosecution was turned over to the local agency. Upon searching Roger’s computer, numerous photos of nude or partially…

September 19, 2017

Criminal Complaints: Man Ironically Held at Gunpoint After Stealing Guns

Man Held at Gunpoint After Stealing Guns According to the criminal complaint, on September 14, officers were sent to a residence in Perry Township for a report of an individual in physical custody by the homeowner for possession of stolen firearms. Upon arrival officers saw Pete Lopez, 42, of New Castle, lying on the ground being secured by the homeowner. Investigation revealed Lopez had stolen firearms from the homeowner while he was staying at the residence off and on for a few weeks with the homeowners daughter. The homeowner suspected Lopez was the thief and had asked him to return…

September 6, 2017

Woman Charged with Endangering Welfare of Children After Incident Involving Marijuana

According to the criminal complaint, Ashley Anne Birchfield, 33, of Ellwood City, is facing charges of endangering the welfare of children after an incident on August 29. On August 29 at approximately 11p.m. officers responded to a complaint that the residents of the apartment were smoking and the smoke was emanating throughout the hallways of the apartment building. Officers knocked on the suspects door and a juvenile answered, leaving the door open while he searched for an adult. Officers observed a cloudy haze throughout the apartment and a strong smell of marijuana. Birchfield was laying down with a juvenile asleep…

August 31, 2017

Police Reports: Gun Found in 2nd Street Business’s Dumpster

Gun Found in 2nd Street Business’s Dumpster According to the police report, on August 28 Ellwood City officers were dispatched to a business on 2nd Street after receiving a call about a gun being discovered in the business’s dumpster. While taking out the trash, two employees noticed a black semi-automatic handgun discarded in the dumpster. They checked the gun to make sure it was not loaded and no magazines were found. The gun had the serial numbers scratched off. One of the employees stated the gun couldn’t have been there more than a couple days because he would have noticed…

August 28, 2017

Ellwood City Man Smashes Front Window of Main Street Bar & Grill

Ellwood City Man Smashes Front Window of Main Street Bar & Grill According to the criminal complaint, earlier this month police were called for a disturbance near the rear parking lot of Main Street Bar & Grill. Michael David Pounds, 28, of Ellwood City, was among several people involved in an altercation, he appeared intoxicated, had a bloody lip and head, and had a large lump on his left cheek. He was yelling racial slurs and told police an African American male had pulled a gun on him and left. Pounds and several others were leaving whenever he decided to…

August 23, 2017

Portersville Man Charged with DUI After Hitting School Bus

According to the criminal complaint, on August 4 a Pennsylvania State Trooper was dispatched to a two vehicle crash on State Route 488. Upon arrival it was determined Jason Scott Sunday, 41, of Portersville had crossed into oncoming traffic striking a school bus. The officer detected an alcoholic odor emitting from his persons, to which Sunday denied but admitted to being on Suboxone at the time of the crash. After completing a drug influence evaluation it was determined Sunday was under the influence of both drugs and alcohol and will be facing charges of driving under the influence of both…

August 15, 2017

Ellwood Resident Facing Charges for Growing Marijuana Plants in Backyard

Kylee Nikole Hooks, 28, of Franklin Avenue, is facing a felony charge of delivery of a controlled substance and misdemeanor charge of violation of controlled substance after police found marijuana plants growing in her backyard. According to the criminal complaint, on June 26, police were given an anonymous tip of suspected marijuana plants growing in the back yard of Hooks’s residence. Officers made contact with Hooks and asked if she had any marijuana plants being manufactured on her property, to which she admitted and led the officers to where the plants were being grown; an area of the yard out…

July 25, 2017

Slippery Rock Man Admits to Possession of Methamphetamine

Frank Joseph Stone, 30, of Slippery Rock is facing charges of driving under the influence, reckless driving, possession of controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and driving while operating privilege is suspended. According to the criminal complaint, on June 30, the Ellwood City Police Department was called for an erratic driver coming into Ellwood City through a construction zone. Reports were stating the vehicle was all over the road and had pulled over at a local restaurant. Officers made contact with the vehicle, knocking on the driver side window startling the driver identified as Stone. Stone quickly put his hands…

July 19, 2017

Erratic Driver Accused of Threatening to Shoot Local Family

Updated at 2:10p.m. 7/19 Erik Sobel is facing charges of disorderly conduct and reckless driving after an incident that occurred on the evening of July 12. According to the police report, officers observed Sobel driving at a high rate of speed and erratically through the town trying to get the officers attention. Multiple complaints came in about Sobel’s driving and that he was threatening the Pounds and Johnsons. Officers could hear the vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed through town and they observed him speeding on Lawrence Ave., as he pulled his emergency brake and slid into the…

July 12, 2017

Police Reports: Shots Fired This Morning on 13th Street

Shots Fired This Morning on 13th Street According to the police report, this morning around 3a.m. police were dispatched to the Pounds residence on 13th Street for a shots fired call. Dispatch gave a description of a white SUV with a loud muffler who shot at the compound. Three neighbors described the vehicle and said the vehicle was stopped in the street and a male was outside walking around when he fired three shots towards the residence, he then tried to get back into the car but the door would not open so he had to hang on to the…