POLICE: Weekly Police Blotter

THEFT:
On July 13th between the hours of 11:00p.m. and 9:00a.m. a motorcycle was stolen from Wilson Ave. The investigation is ongoing according to a criminal complaint.

DUI:
Clark Groce, 64, of Ellwood City is charged with DUI after an incident occurring on June 5th at approximately 11:55p.m. Police contacted Groce while in his parked car that was found to be in someone’s yard. Groce stated that he was very confused and blacked out making him unaware on how he ended up in the yard. Officers conducted a Standard Field Sobriety Test on Groce, and he was taken into custody according to a criminal complaint.

DUI:
John Lako, 58, of Wampum is charged with DUI after a traffic stop on Main St, Wampum at approximately 10:56a.m. Police contacted Lako and observed a strong odor of alcohol emitting from his vehicle and advised Lako that he had a warrant out for his arrest. Police took him into custody without incident according to a criminal complaint.

HIDTA OPERATION “SHEETS NOT SHEETZ”
On July 25, 2025, members of the Lawrence County District Attorney’s HIDTA Drug Task Force, with the assistance of DEA Group 66 and the Office of the Attorney General executed a search warrant on a residence located at 1327 Sheets Street in the City of New Castle. Upon entry, the target of the investigation, Treyonne Booker, was detained and search of the residence was performed. The following evidence was seized:

• Apple iPhone
• 342 suspected Xanax bars
• 60 suspected Gabapentin tablets
• .7 gross grams of suspected fentanyl
• $1,427 of US currency

The target, Treyonne Booker, was charged and lodged in the Lawrence County Jail on $25,000 bond for the following charges: Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance (Felony) and Possession of a Controlled Substance (Misdemeanor).

DRUG & FIREARM LAW VIOLATIONS:
Michael Rodich, 41, of New Castle, pleaded guilty to violations of federal drug and firearm laws and was sentenced to six years of imprisonment on his conviction, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced on July 28, 2025.

According to information presented to the Court, on September 29, 2023, Rodich was arrested by the New Brighton Police Department. At the time of his arrest, Rodich, who was wanted by the Hermitage Police Department on an open arrest warrant, had a loaded firearm in his waistband as well as drug paraphernalia, crack, fentanyl pills, and $2,380 on his person. In his backpack, Rodich also had two baggies of crack, a bag of powder cocaine, a glass container of powder cocaine, stamp bags of fentanyl, drug paraphernalia, a digital scale, a loaded magazine containing 10 rounds of ammunition, and 27 rounds of loose ammunition. Rodich was previously convicted of a felony. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.

In connection with his plea, Rodich admitted to possessing controlled substances with the intent to distribute, possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime, and to illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon.

In imposing sentence, Judge Hardy stated that, among other things, “third-party deterrence is very important to this Court” and that perhaps those who are considering committing similar crimes will realize that there are “very significant consequences” if they are caught and will “think differently” before they act.

Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as well as the Hermitage Police Department, New Brighton Police Department, and Ellwood City Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Rodich.