POLICE: Weekly Police Blotter

BURGLARY:
William Balin, Jr., 32, of Ellwood City, is charged with Burglary, Criminal Mischief and Criminal Trespassing after an incident on March 21st. According to the criminal complaint, at appropriately 11:00 a.m. police were advised the Ellwood City Sewer department was broke into over the weekend. Upon investigation, there were two signs of forced entry into the building on Wampum Avenue and a gas powered generator and power washer were missing. Shoe imprints were found leading to and away from the stolen items and the shoe imprint tracks led to where the items were removed from the grounds through a cut out in the chain fence at the perimeter of the facility grounds. Police located bolt cutters near the hole in the fencing and sewer department staff watched to see if the culprit returns for them. At approximately 12:40 p.m., a staff member advised police they observed a male and female walking near the sewer plant and police were able to clearly identify Balin, whom was followed to the rear of a residence of Todd Avenue. Police asked for permission to search the residence and after some questioning, Balin admitted to breaking into the Sewer Plant and taking the washer and generator. Balin added he had already sold the stolen items to a couple from New Castle for $200.00. The damage to the Sewer Plant is yet to be determined but is well over $1,000 and the value of the items stolen is also over $1,000

ASSAULT:
Daniel Martin, 43, of Ellwood City, is charged with Assault, Strangulation, and Harassment after an incident on March 19th. According to the criminal complaint, at approximately 1:11 a.m., officers were dispatched to a residence on Fourth Street for a reported domestic in progress. Officers arrived and could hear a woman’s voice yelling and made entry into the front of the building where the found Martin, whom appeared to have just been getting off of the victim. Officers detained Martin who was yelling and actively resisting from being placed in handcuffs. After interviewing both parties, Martin was placed under arrest. The victim had red marks on her neck and chest and old police Martin hit her in the head two times. Martin was transported to ECPD where he repeatedly hit his head off the bars and wall of the cell causing bleeding and was later transported to Jameson Hospital for a 302 commitment.

RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT:
On March 4th at approximately 9:24 p.m., PA State Police Beaver responded to a residence on 5th Avenue in Koppel Borough, Beaver County for a report of a male that shot a shotgun in the area. On arrival, the 50-year-old defendant admitted to firing one shot into the air from a shotgun. No injuries reported or observed. Charges are pending.

BEAVER COUNTY FELON CHARGED WITH ILLEGAL POSSESSION:
James Gilmore, 32, of Rochester has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced on March 17. According to Indictment, on or about June 9, 2021, Gilmore possessed a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Federal law prohibits an individual who has been convicted of a felony from possessing a firearm or ammunition. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of ten (10) years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. The defendant is in the custody of the U.S. Marshals.

NEW CASTLE DEALER SENTENCED:
Christopher Shaner, 26, of New Castle has been sentenced in federal court to 36 months imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release on his conviction of violating federal narcotic laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced this week. According to information presented to the court, Shaner conspired to possess with intent to distribute marijuana that had been imported into California from Mexico and then sent through the mail and interstate carriers to the New Castle area. Shaner and other than distributed the marijuana in the New Castle and surrounding areas. This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.