Police and Fire

Butler County Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Multiple Bricks of Fentanyl

PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Butler, Pennsylvania, has pled guilty on a charge of possessing 10 grams or more of a mixture containing fluorofentanyl and fentanyl, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced this week. Gerry Lee Kendall, age 41, pleaded guilty before Senior District Court Judge Arthur J. Schwab. In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on June 6, 2021, an officer with the Duquesne Police Department observed Gerry Lee Kendall exit Truman Towers, a known high-drug trafficking area. The officer observed Kendall enter the front passenger seat of a parked vehicle, which then…


Lawrence County Man Pleads Guilty in Scheme to Distribute Cocaine from Mexico

PITTSBURGH – A Lawrence County resident pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base, in form commonly known as crack cocaine, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today. Quantel Searcy, age 49, formerly of New Castle, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on Friday to one count before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan. If this case would have proceeded to trial, the government would have proven that Searcy was part of a cocaine-distribution conspiracy focused on New Castle, Pennsylvania. The conspiracy involved cocaine imported from Mexico into California that the California conspirators…


VIDEO: Worker Dies After Falling From Tree

A man died Tuesday in an accident while cutting down a tree on the 400 block of Division Avenue. According to reports, a tree branch fell loose and hit the ladder underneath him causing the man to dangle from a rope around 30 feet in the air. Ellwood City Fire Chief Rick Myers said he didn’t hit the ground but suffered cardiac arrest. He was hanging upside down for about 20 minutes until rescues could lower him to the ground. The man’s identity hasn’t been released. 


POLICE: ECPD Alert Residents Of Recent Home Invasion

In a news release made available by the Ellwood City Police Department, police have apprehended three suspects in a recent home invasion and robbery. The report reads as follows: On October 14th at approximately 15:10 p.m., Ellwood City Police Department Officers were dispatched to an address in the 700 block of Line Avenue for reports of an armed robbery. The victim advised three males entered his residence with a gun and held the victim at gun point while they stole two pistols and multiple credit cards. The actors left the residence and walked to a vehicle at an unknown location…


POLICE: Weekly Police Blotter

RETAIL THEFT: Mark Butler, 24, of Ellwood City, is charged with Retail Theft and Resisting Arrest after an incident on October 4th. According to the criminal complaint, and at approximately 11:45 p.m., Ellwood City Police responded to the Ellwood City Seven-Eleven for a reported theft. The store clerk told officers a male with dread locks had stolen a pack of cigars and was seen walking east on Wampum Avenue. Officers later located the male fitting the description and attempted to stop the man later identified as Butler. Butler would not listen and continued walking and yelling at officers. When officers…


Fire Department to Start Advanced Life Support Program with Ellwood City Community Health Foundation Funding, Council Support

The Ellwood City Community Health Foundation presented the Ellwood City Fire Department a check for $175,000 during Monday’s council meeting. Council voted unanimously to advertise an ordinance creating an Advanced Life Support Program, as well as an agreement that the program will be partially funded by the Health Foundation’s funding. In an additional move to staff the program and provide services to the residents of Ellwood City, council established the wage for part-time paramedics and a full-time paramedic captain as $20 per hour. Dan Yoder was promoted from part-time firefighter to full-time paramedic captain. Brandon Magnifico and Jeff Magnifico were…


Three Lawrence County Men Among Seven Charged With Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

PITTSBURGH – Eliot Gentry, Daivahn Brown, Donald Jeter, William McCree, Teqwan Scott, Donald Snowden, and Kailin Stewart have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh for narcotics trafficking, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today. The Indictment, returned on Oct. 11 and yesterday, charges the seven defendants with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and distribute at least 100 grams of fluorofentanyl, 40 grams of fentanyl, five kilograms of cocaine, 28 grams of cocaine base, and a quantity of methamphetamine, from May 2021 to October 2022. Gentry, age 25; McCree, age 19; and Scott, age 28…


POLICE: Weekly Police Blotter

HARASSMENT: On September 24, at approximately 6:43 p.m., PA State Police were dispatched to a known address on Beaver Street, Wampum Borough, for a reported domestic disturbance. Upon arrival, both parties involved, Sharon Norris, 43, and Justin Norris, 45, were separated. One individual was treated at the scene for a minor head injury. Further investigation led to both parties receiving charges of harassment and disorderly conduct will be filed through MDJ 53-3-01. SIMPLE ASSAULT: David Carter, 43, of Ellwood City, is charged with Simple Assault and Harassment after an incident on September 28th. According to the criminal complaint, and at…


POLICE: Weekly Police Blotter

ENDANGERING WELFARE OF CHILD: On August 2nd at approximately 5:29 p.m., Ellwood City Police were dispatched to an area of Haig Street and Madison Avenue for a caller reporting a 4-year-old girl by herself sitting in the middle of the road. The caller advised no parents around and when police responded to the scene and spoke with the caller they were advised this is an ongoing issue with the child. Officers made contact with the girl and asked where she lived. The girl took officers to a house on Byng Street where police made contact with Tyler Chickos, 26, the…


Florida Businessman Pleads Guilty in $100M Health Care Fraud Scheme Involving Ellwood City Medical Center

PITTSBURGH – A resident of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to three counts of conspiracy related to the submission of fraudulent health care claims, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today. Daniel Hurt, 58, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, pay and receive unlawful kickbacks, and commit money laundering, as charged in a criminal Information filed in the Western District of Pennsylvania on July 26, 2022; one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, as charged in a criminal Information filed in the District of New Jersey on August…