POLICE: Weekly Police Blotter

DISORDERLY CONDUCT:
David Carter, 45, of Ellwood City, is charged with Disorderly Conduct and Public Drunkenness after an incident on February 21st. According to a criminal complaint, and at approximately 4:01 p.m., police were dispatched to the intersection of Spring Avenue and 5th Street for an intoxicated male who had a beer in his hands yelling at kids and at vehicles. Police later located Carter at the front door of his residence. Carter is known by local police and have had many dealings with him for similar misconduct according to the complaint. When police located Carter at the front door of his residence he rushed off the porch and towards officers, verbally screaming at the officers. Carter was found to be visibally intoxicated and was irate. Officers left the scene, and upon later patrolling the area did located Carter standing outside his residence still screaming at himself and pointing to various places the report relates. A call from a concerned resident prompted police to return to address Carter and when arrving on scene were subject to Carter’s continued aggressive behaviors. With the multiple verbal threats from Carter and his continued aggressive body language the need for a taser was required and Carter was arrested and charged.

source: Lawrence County District Attorney’s Office Facebook.com Page

POSSESSION:
Joshua Hall, 36, of Ellwood City, is charged with False Identification and Possession of Controlled Substances after an incident on March 3rd. According to a criminal complaint, and at approximately 9:15 p.m., police assisted BCI-Strike Force members with a search warrant at a residence on West Garfield Street, New Castle, after a tip line received several complaints of drug activity at the residence. The warrant was executed and five individuals inside were found to have active warrants for their arrests and upon speaking with the individuals discovered that Hall provided police with a false name and DOB and was found in possession of a paper fold containing crystla like substance. Hall was removed from the house and later transported to the Lawrence County Jail where he was committed.

A search of the residence was commenced, and officers located and seized the following:

• Numerous bags of suspected cocaine with a total weight of 172.5 gross grams.
• Numerous bags of suspected heroin/fentanyl with a total weight of 108.5 gross grams.
• Bag of suspected crack cocaine with a total weight of 1.9 gross grams.
• Seven (7) Amphetamine Dextroamphetamine tablets.
• Six (6) Acetaminophen & Oxycodone tablets.
• $1,670 in US currency.
• One (1) clear plastic baggie containing 3.1 gross grams of suspected cocaine and 2.0 gross grams of suspected heroin/fentanyl.

USE/POSSESSION:
James Price, 26, of Ellwood City, is charged with Reckless Driving and Possession after a motor vehicle accident on February 26th. According to the criminal complaint, and at approximately 8:01 p.m., police were dispatched to 2nd Street and Fountain Avenue for a two vehicle accident. Police were able to identify one driver as Price who was found complaining of pain in his lower body and had a strong smell of marijuana coming from him. While Price was being evaluated from NOGA EMS and, police located a clear pill bottle with a latex glove wrapped up inside of the bottle with a white substance inside the bottle and on the glove the complaint relates.

CRUELTY TO ANIMALS:
Laura Powell, 40, of New Galilee, is charged with Cruelty to Animals after an incident on January 14th. According to a criminal complaint, and at approximately 1:36 p.m., police were dispatched to the Green Meadow Trailer Court for the report of animal cruelty and located a neighbor who related that Powell had left a large black German Shepard mix outside overnight in subfreezing temperatures with no food, water, and minimal shelter. The complainant also related multiple other residents of the trailer court were complaining as well about the neglect. Police spoke with another neighbor who cooberated the neglect. Powell’s ex-husband approached officers when on property and related he could take and care for the dog which officers approved for the dog’s safety.

THEFT:
PA State Police are investigating a report of fraudulent activity that was first reported on January 12th. According to a release report, a 56-year-old female victim from Slippery Rock Township recently discovered her email account had been compromised and the actor was able to procure personal information from inside it to open accounts in her name, manipulate her current accounts, and charge credit cards for a total loss of approximately $4,500.00. Police remind everyone to change passwords often, use two-factor authentication for accounts, and if compromised immediately freeze your credit with all three bureaus and report any accounts so new cards can be issued. Always use your judgement when divulging personal or financial information and actively monitor your accounts.

FATAL CAR ACCIDENT:
PA State Police New Castle responded to a one vehicle crash on February 5th at approximately 4:48 p.m. on Perry Highway south of Eastbrook Harlansburg Road. This crash occurred as the Operator of a 2011 GM Sierra was traveling at a high rate of speed while heading southbound and exited the west shoulder for unknown reasons. The car then flipped over a ravine causing more damage and impacting a parked vehicle before coming to a final rest. Upon arrival, the 32-year-old male driver from New Wilmington was found entrapped in the vehicle and declared deceased by a responding coroner. Witnesses of the crash were interviewed and physical evidence was observed. This investigation is still ongoing and pending the results of the Coroner’s report.

DUI:
On February 20th at approximately 2:53 p.m., PA State Police were dispatched to a disabled motorist near the intersection of Young Road and Frew Mill Road, Slippery Rock Township. IT was reported that a black Jeep was stuck in a ditch and the operator was still on scene. Upon arrival, police made contact with the 61-year-old female from New Castle, during which SFST were conducted. The driver was arrest for driving under the suspicion of alcohol/controlled substance.

DISORDERLY CONDUCT:
On February 21st at approximately 8:36 a.m., a disturbance was reported to have occurred between two neighbors on Dutch Ridge Road., Wayne Township. According to the complaint, one neighbor had made boisterous comments and shouted obscenities toward his residence from the property line, unprovoked. After investigation, it was determined the complainant’s neighbor was provoked into his boisterous behavior by a resident of the complainant’s household. No charges will be filed in this incident.

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF:
Four individuals are arrested and charged with Criminal Mischief Under $1,000 after an incident on March 9th at approximately 3:43 p.m. at Buttermilk Falls in Homewood Borough. According to the report, the four individuals – 29-year-old female from Lisbon, OH, 21-year-old male from Farrell, PA, 20-year-old male from Sharon, PA, and a 20-year-old female from Struthers, OH, defaced property in the Buttermilk Falls Natural Area Park. The arrestees knowingly defaced the rocks with aerosol spray paint cans on county owned property. A witness captured the criminal activity with his smartphone. Non-Traffic citations were issued the the four arrestees.

HIDTA Operation “Bear Down” / source: Lawrence County District Attorney’s Office Facebook.com Page

HIDTA Operation “Bear-Down”
On March 6, 2025 at approximately 6 am, multiple Narcotics Investigators from the New Castle Police Department, the Lawrence County HIDTA, and the Law. Co. District Attorney’s Drug Task Force served a search warrant at 1610 Hanna St. in the City of New Castle. The target of the investigation, Juel Demetrius Lewis, Jr. a.k.a. BEAR, was located and arrested inside of the residence. During the subsequent search inside of the house, Investigators located a total of 195.1 gross grams of heroin, 73.1 gross grams of cocaine, 17 oxycodone tablets, 3 digital weigh scales, 3 cellular phones, a 12-gauge shotgun, a Ruger LCP, and $5,726 in U.S. currency.
Juel Demetrius Lewis, a.k.a. BEAR, has been charged with 3 counts of Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

HIDTA Operation “We’ve Been Here Before”
On Wednesday, January 29, 2025, at approximately 0613 hours, a sealed search warrant was executed at 717 Altman Road, New Castle, Pennsylvania 16101 by members of the Lawrence County District Attorney’s HIDTA Drug Task Force, ECPD, and NCPD. The residence was occupied by several individuals including the target of the investigation Shawntelle JOHNSON.

The following items were seized during the execution of the search warrant:
1. $380 in United States Currency.
2. 25.7 gross grams of heroin/fentanyl.
3. (5) Five digital weight scales.
4. (1) One handheld Stainless steel pill crusher.
5. (1) Motorola cellular telephone.

Shawntelle JOHNSON was arrested and placed into the Lawrence County Jail on two active warrants with additional charges pending.