POLICE: Weekly Police Blotter

CRIMINAL MISCHEIF:
Joseph Pounds, 33, of Ellwood City is charged with criminal mischief after a disturbance at the Keystone Bar on August 25th at approximately 11:16p.m. Police were informed that Pounds and a few members of his family had arrived at the bar earlier that day, but were denied service due to their previous behavior. They left and arrived later that night and began to vandalize the property and throwing alcohol on patrons. CCTV footage of Pounds and several other individuals preforming the vandalism was observed and they will be charged according to a criminal complaint.

CRASH REPORT:
On September 27th at approximately 3:50 p.m. Police were dispatched to Highway 65 to a report of a once vehicle crash. According to a crash report, 49-year-old Kandace Baker, of Ellwood City, had fallen asleep at the wheel and rammed into a concrete guide rail before the vehicle came to a final stop. Minor injuries were reported from the 18-year-old passenger and were self transported to a nearby hospital. The vehicle was also towed by Frank’s Towing Company.

DUI:
Maddox Singer, 19, of Ellwood City is charged with DUI after a crash occurring on June 28th at approximately 4:50a.m. Police made contact with Singer on Chewton Wurtemburg Road who stated he swerved to miss a deer when he crashed. Police had observed Singers speech to be slurred and his eyes to be glossy and red. Singer was then transported to a nearby hospital for a blood draw according to a criminal complaint.

DUI:
Christian Surma, 30, of Monaca is charged with DUI after a traffic stop occurring on August 28th at approximately 7:00p.m. Police made contact with Surma at a DUI Checkpoint at the 200 block of Fountain Avenue and had observed a strong odor of alcohol. Surma had agreed to preforming a Standard Field Sobriety test and promptly vomited after leading to his arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence according to a criminal complaint.

DUI:
Kaden Hoffman, 24, of New Wilmington is charged with DUI after a traffic stop occurring on August 4th at approximately 7:46a.m. Police made contact with Hoffman on Perry Highway and had asked Hoffman if he knew why he was stopped. Hoffman advised he knew, and that he had smoked marijuana the night before at 11:00p.m. before going to bed. Officers observed a strong odor and clear signs of intoxication from Hoffman, including a tin can of marijuana, rolling papers, and a broken pill of ecstasy according to a criminal complaint.

DRUG TRAFFICKING:
Melvin Dorsey-Pace, 33, of New Castle, has been sentenced in federal court to 212 months in prison, to be followed by six years of supervised release, on his conviction of trafficking fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine while on federal supervised release.

According to information presented to the Court, on February 12, 2025, Dorsey-Pace possessed with intent to distribute a mixture of fentanyl and heroin, as well as a mixture of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine. Dorsey-Pace was on federal supervised release at the time, following a 2024 release from prison for a prior drug trafficking conviction. The instant offense was Dorsey-Pace’s third federal drug trafficking conviction during the last 10 years, with the defendant also having been on federal supervised release when he engaged in the criminal conduct that led to his second federal drug trafficking conviction. Additionally, Dorsey-Pace was on Pennsylvania state parole following a prison sentence for a drive-by shooting when he engaged in the criminal conduct that led to his first federal drug trafficking conviction.

United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Lawrence County Drug Task Force for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Dorsey-Pace.