POLICE: Weekly Police Blotter

HARASS PHYSICAL CONTACT:
Brandon Falen, 50, of Ellwood City, is charged with physical harassment after an incident occurring on January 20th at a residence on Laurel Avenue in Wayne Township. According to a police report, and at approximately 7:34 p.m., police were dispatched to an active domestic involving Falen and his 24-year-old daughter and 22-year-old son. According to the report, Falen had struck his daughter and son with a broom and a hammer which caused minor injuries. Falen was placed under arrest and taken to a nearby hospital for a mental health assessment due to him formally stating he wanted to harm himself. Drugs were also seized as a result of this incident. Charges pending.

HARASSMENT:
Franklin Cesare-Hesse, 36, and Frederick Bartberger, 35, both of New Castle are each charged with Harassment and Simple Assault after an incident occurring on January 23rd at a residence on Portersville Road. According to a criminal complaint, and at approximately 4:43 p.m., police spoke to Bartberger who advised that Cesare-Hesse involved himself in a verbal argument that originally did not involve him. Bartberger then stated that Cesare-Hesse began the altercation by grabbing him and beating him, which resulted in both parties striking one another. Bartberger also mentioned that Cesare-Hesse pulled out a 40 caliber pistol that shoots “ball bearings,” and then shot him in the face with the pistol. Barberger then stated he pulled a knife on Cesare-Hesse and threatened to use if he did not stop the report relates. Both Bartberger and Cesare-Hesse were advised that they would both be receiving charges according to the complaint.

POSSESION OF DRUGS:
Domenick Artzberger, 29, of New Castle, is charged with possession of drugs after a traffic stop on December 30th. According to a criminal complaint, and at approximately 10:05 p.m., police conducted a traffic stop on Artzberger due to him speeding on US Route 422, Slippery Rock Township. When police made contact with him, Artzerberger advised he was traveling to his sisters house and police observed the smell of marijuana and had asked him about it. Artzberger admitted to having some and handed it over to police according to the complaint.

DRUG TRAFFICKING:
Glenn Samuels, 33, of New Castle, and Jean Sanchez Tulla, 38, of Puerto Rico, were sentenced in federal court for their convictions of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and related charges, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced this week.

The defendants were among 17 individuals from Lawrence County, Pennsylvania; Puerto Rico; and Youngstown, Ohio, indicted in March 2024 for violating federal narcotics, firearms, and racketeering laws by conspiring to distribute cocaine throughout Western Pennsylvania and Youngstown (read the Indictment news release here).

Samuels was sentenced to nine years of imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and interstate travel or transmission in aid of racketeering, and Samuels to 37 months of prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine.

According to information presented to the Court, Tulla was a leading member of the organized drug trafficking group that shipped kilogram quantities of cocaine from Puerto Rico, often mailing drug parcels through the U.S. Postal Service to co-conspirators responsible for selling the cocaine in Western Pennsylvania; Youngstown, Ohio; and elsewhere. Specifically, Tulla was responsible for possessing with intent to distribute and distributing between five and 15 kilograms of cocaine on behalf of and during the course of the conspiracy. He also traveled from Puerto Rico to Pennsylvania—including at least 15 trips to Pittsburgh from 2023 to 2024—and elsewhere to facilitate and promote the drug trafficking enterprise, including to receive drug proceeds from other members of the organization.

Upon receipt of the shipped cocaine, leaders of the drug trafficking organization in Western Pennsylvania would distribute smaller quantities of the drugs to multiple co-conspirators, including Samuels, in order to maximize profits. Those co-conspirators then distributed the cocaine in New Castle, Ellwood City, and elsewhere in Lawrence County. At least 100 grams of cocaine was attributable to Samuels, who was found during the investigation to frequent the New Castle residence of the drug trafficking organization’s local leader for short durations, often multiple times a day.

Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, Lawrence County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Drug Task Force, and United States Postal Inspection Service, as well as the New Castle Police Department, Ellwood City Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Pennsylvania State Police, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and United States Department of Agriculture for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Tulla and Samuels.

Lawrence County is one of six Western Pennsylvania counties officially designated as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area by the White House’s Office of National Drug Control Policy. The county received its HIDTA designation in July 2022, allowing it to receive dedicated federal resources to coordinate federal, state, and local governments in fighting drug trafficking and abuse.

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.