POLICE: Weekly Police Blotter

THEFT:
On June 2nd at approximately 8:00p.m. New Castle PSP responded to Frew Mill Rd, Slippery Rock Twp for a report of theft. The victim reported that a total of $10,000.00 had been transferred from their account to another without her knowledge.

AGGRIVATED ASSAULT:
Joseph Pounds, 32, of Pittsburgh, is charged with Aggravated Assault after an argument occurring on June 3rd. According to a criminal complaint, and at approximately 7:34 p.m., officers were dispatched to Breakers Bar when they spotted Pounds and several others engaging in a verbal argument. Police detained Pounds and spoke with a male who stated the he drew his firearm in self defense against Pounds who attempted to strike him with a hammer according to the complaint. Police entered the bar after speaking with the male to check surveillance footage to which they observed Pounds engaging in a physical altercation with several unidentified individuals and then moving to the front of the building holding a hammer and swinging it according to the complaint.

AGGRIVATED ASSAULT:
Timothy Long, 54, of Leechburg, is charged with Aggravated Assault after an argument occurring on June 3rd. According to a criminal complaint, and at approximately 7:34 p.m., officers were dispatched to Breakers Bar, and spoke to Long after detaining Joseph Pounds. Long explained that he had drew his gun on Pounds in self defense because Pounds came at him with a hammer after Pounds had engaged in other physical and verbal altercations before going after Long, according to the complaint.

DUI:
Tonya Lemley, 45, of Ellwood City, is charged with DUI after a crash occurring on April 25th at approximately 4:24p.m. Police made contact with Lemley who police observed to be intoxicated. Officers then subjected Lemley to a series of Standard Field Sobriety Tests to which she failed, according to a criminal complaint.

TERRORISTIC THREATS:
James Metcalfe, 62, of Ellwood City, is charged with Terroristic Threats after an incident occurring on June 8th. According to a criminal complaint, and at approximately 12:15p.m., police responded to a call for a man that sliced the victims tires and then chased the victims, attempting to stab them. On scene police detained Metcalfe and through investigations and victim statements were informed that Metcalfe’s father continued to harass and threaten the victims after Metcalfe had attacked them, according to the complaint.

ATTEMPTED SUICIDE:
PSP New Castle responded to self report of a suicidal man who they later identified as Donovan Philpot. Upon arrival at the scene on Shaw Road in Washington Township, Lawrence County, Philpot was observed with an apparent gunshot wound to the head, and refused to comply with officers on scene. Officers incapacitated Philpot and had him treated by EMS, and had him life-flighted to a nearby hospital according to a release report.

THEFT:
Nicholas T. Grimes, 30, of Beaver Falls, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of theft of government property before United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan on June 17, 2025.

In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, following the death of a Title II Social Security benefits recipient, Grimes began stealing that person’s Social Security retirement benefits, beginning as early as 2014. Grimes stole benefits totaling approximately $216,779 by negotiating the benefits from the deceased’s account through ATM transactions.

Judge Ranjan scheduled sentencing for September 29, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

DRUG TRAFFICKING:
Kiara Jones, 25, of New Castle, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Robert J. Colville to conspiring to distribute quantities of fentanyl and cocaine between August 2023 and August 2024.

Judge Colville scheduled sentencing for October 7, 2025. The law provides for a total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Lawrence County Drug Task Force, New Castle Police Department, Michigan State Police, Pennsylvania State Police, Mercer County Drug Task Force, United States Postal Inspection Service, Department of Homeland Security, and Douglas County (Nebraska) Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Jones.

DRUG TRAFFICKING:
A resident of New Castle, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 70 months in prison for conspiring to distribute fentanyl and fluorofentanyl, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced.

Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Kailin Stewart, 38, who previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 10 grams or more of fluorofentanyl between May 2021 and October 2022.

According to information presented to the Court, Stewart was on state parole in 2022 following his release from an 11- to 40-year Pennsylvania state prison sentence for a conviction for conspiracy to commit homicide. The Court also was informed that Stewart was responsible for the trafficking of between 70 and 100 grams of a mixture of fentanyl and fluorofentanyl while on state parole.

Judge Schwab ordered that Stewart’s federal prison sentence be served consecutive to any Pennsylvania state parole revocation sentence Stewart may receive. Judge Schwab also ordered that Stewart serve four years of supervised release following his federal prison sentence.

Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Lawrence County Drug Task Force, Mercer County Drug Task Force, New Castle Police Department, Sharon Police Department, and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Stewart.