POLICE: Weekly Police Blotter

THEFT:
Micah Ndungu, 20, of Ellwood City, is charged with Theft and Receiving Stolen Property after an incident on July 23rd. According to the criminal complaint, Ellwood City Police were called to Fifth Street for a report of theft. The victim reported he was attempting to sell an iPhone 11 Pro on Facebook Marketplace for $400.00 and was meeting the purchasing party at McDonald’s. The victim stated that at approximately 9:13 p.m. the alleged purchaser of the phone grabbed it and ran away. Officers paroled the area but unable to locate the individual. After reviewing video surveillance from the incident, officers were able to identify Ndungu through vehicle registrations and interviews with the suspects friends.

RETAIL THEFT:
Kortney May, 31, of Ellwood City, is charged with Retail Theft after an incident on July 27th. According to the criminal complaint, and at approximately 10:14 p.m., police were dispatched to Beaver Avenue Uni-Mart for reports of theft and were met by store manager who told officers that a male and female were inside of the store and stole multiple items. Officers reviewed video surveillance and were able to identify Kortney May and Eric Francis, 47, of Beaver Falls, whom, according to store manager, have been coming in the store for weeks to hang out and ask for free items. The store manager requested charges be filed and that they two parties were no longer welcome in the store. The suspects stole two Monster energy drinks, four frozen sandwiches, two Lunchables, three bags of M&Ms, and two Coca-Cola drinks totaling $48.89. May and Francis both have prior retail theft charges. Officers were later able to locate both at a residence on Lawrence Avenue and placed both parties under arrest. May is charged with Retail Theft and Francis is charged with Criminal Conspiracy to commit Retail Theft.

POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE:
Joshua McQuiston, 36, of Fombell, is charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession with Intent to Deliver, and Receiving Stolen Property after an incident on July 8th. According to a criminal complaint, and at approximately 12:45 p.m., police responded to an area of Sixth Street and Franklin Avenue for a welfare check to find McQuiston unconscious in the drivers seat of a silver Hyundai. Police observed and later seized a suspected crack pipe and other drug paraphernalia. McQuistion awoke and refused medical attention. His vehicle was towed to ECPD for application for search warrant and McQuiston was taken into custody. A search of the vehicle to find multiple pieces of evidence related to controlled substances and pieces that related to stolen property, including tools, gaming devices, and jewelry.

DRUG POSSESSION:
Petyon Caminiti, 22, of Ellwood City, is charged with Use/Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Disorderly Conduct after a traffic stop on July 30 at approximately 1:53 a.m. According to a criminal complaint, Caminiti was pulled over for driving on Route 488 just south of Mile Hill Road for a tail light and break light not functioning. While stopped for the traffic stop on Wurtemburg Road, police observed an odor of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle and was asked to exit the vehicle. Caminiti gave consent to search and police found a small amount of marijuana on Caminiti and a smoking device in the vehicle.

THEFT:
A 73-year-old Wampum female called to advise that unknown actor(s) got her personal informational and ordered clothes in her name on or around July 29, 2022. The victim was advised what she needed to do to protect herself now that her identity was stolen.

ACCIDENT:
On July 29th at approximately 3:49 p.m., PA State Police were dispatched to a vehicle rash on Woodside Avenue at Wurtemburg Road. On scene it was found that a 2013 Cadillac XTS driven by Ruby Craine, of Ellwood City, was traveling northbound on Woodside Avenue when she did not see a 2017 Ford F-150 driven by a Poland man stopped due to traffic. The truck suffered moderate damage to rear and SUV had disabling damage on the front end. No one was injured. Police were assisted by Wayne and Wurtemburg Fire Departments.

THEFT:
Daeqwan Robinson, 31, of Philadelphia, is charged with Theft and Receiving Stolen Property on July 1st. According to a criminal complaint, a victim reported that Robinson picked him up at 3:41 p.m. at a residence in New Castle in a gray Toyota Carolla and transportered him to a distination as an Uber. Upon arrival at the destination on Old Route 18, New Beaver Borough, the victim exited the vehicle only to have Robinson intentionally drive off with his belongings inside and cancelled the Uber ride. The victim stated his cell phone, lunch box, hard hat, work vest and Oakley glasses totalling $775.00 were left in the vehicle. On July 5th the actor was identified as Robinson by registration and recent traffic stop footage on the PA Turnpike for which the victim positively identified Robinson as the driver who stole the items. Police have charged Robinson with Theft and Receiving Stolen Property.

POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE:
Dondi Searcy Jr., age, 37, formerly of New Castle, has been sentenced in federal court to 150 months’ imprisonment and five years of supervised release on his conviction of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced this week. According to information presented to the court, Searcy Jr. conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. Intercepted communications revealed Dondi Searcy Jr’s role in a large-scale cocaine distribution based out of the New Castle, Pennsylvania area. Searcy Jr. and his conspirators arranged for cocaine to be transported, primarily through the United States Mail, from California to the New Castle area, where Searcy, Jr. and his conspirators distributed the cocaine. 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. United States Attorney Chung commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, the New Castle Police Department, the Lawrence County District Attorney’s Office, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Searcy Jr.