POLICE: Weekly Police Blotter

TERRORISTIC THREATS:
John Humensky, 52, of Ellwood City is charged with Terroristic Threats and Robbery after threatening to rob Ellwood City WesBanco Bank on February 9th forcing the branch to go on brief lockdown. According to the criminal complaint, and at approximately 9:45 a.m., a bank teller called police to report Humensky had walked into the bank and told her that he was thinking of robbing the bank. Humensky left on foot and was later located walking on Sixth Street and identified by police. When apprehended and interviewed by Ellwood City police, he was asked if he intended to rob a bank, for which Humensky related ‘Yes’ and had thought about bringing a knife but forgot it at home. He said he also considered grabbing someone within the bank. Humensky has been arraigned before Magistrate Jerry Cartwright on $50,000 bond and has been taken to Lawrence County Jail.

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF:
On January 29th at approximately 8:34 p.m.., PA State Police were dispatched to Elm Lane, New Beaver Borough for a disturbance. Through an investigation, it was determined that Matthew Robinson, of Wampum, and a 62-year-old female victim had gotten into a physical altercation and that Robinson threw a rock through the victim’s rear windshield, causing approximately $1,000 in damages. Robinson left the scene prior to police arriving.

DRUG CHARGES:
A resident of Lawrence County, has been sentenced in federal court to 10 years’ imprisonment and six years of supervised release on his conviction of violating federal narcotics and firearm laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced this week. United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence on Michael Schmidt, age 26, formerly of New Castle, Pennsylvania 16101. According to information presented to the court, On Oct. 12, 2017, Schmidt possessed with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and possessed a Taurus, Model PT738, .380 caliber pistol and ammunition as a convicted felon. It is prohibited under federal law to possess a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The fentanyl and firearm were found when law enforcement executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence. Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.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 Schmidt.

THEFT BY DECEPTION:
A 66-year-old man from Slippery Rock fell victim to theft by deception after the victim received a phone call on February 9th at around 8:30 a.m. from an unknown caller who advised the man he owed approximately $400 to Amazon and that he had been hacked.  According to the police report, the unknown person also related that the victim had bank accounts opened up in his name during which the victim stated he did not. Shortly after, the phone became disconnected and conversation ended. The investigation will be closed due to lack of investigative leads.

DUI:
Carrie Duffield, 42, of Ellwood City, is charged with DUI after a traffic stop on January 22nd. According to the criminal complaint, police observed a vehicle on Factory Avenue fail to stop and yield to oncoming traffic and initiated a traffic stop in the nearby Uni-Mart parking lot. While speaking with Duffield, police noted a overwhelming odor of alcohol coming from the vehicle and Duffield to have bloodshot and glassy eyes. Police asked Duffield to take a field sobriety test for which she failed and was place under arrest and taken to a nearby hospital for a blood draw.

SEXUAL ABUSE:
A 74-year-old Beaver County man and a 51-year-old Butler County man are among five men charged for the sexual assault and exploitation of children. Acting Attorney General Michelle Henry announced on Tuesday the filing of criminal charges against Raymond Shultz, Beaver County; Kevin Isovitsch, Butler County; Abimael Valentin-Matos, Lancaster County; Norman Aviles, Lancaster County; and Marc Brown, Allegheny County, for the sexual assault and exploitation of children. In each case, all of the defendants and their victims were members of Jehovah’s Witness congregations. These arrests follow charges filed against four other members of Jehovah’s Witness congregations in October 2022. [READ FULL REPORT]