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First Posted: 4/25/2014
HAZLETON — Police said Lorena Paulino, 23, of North James Street, was cited with harassment after an incident at her residence shortly after 11 p.m. Thursday.
HANOVER TWP. — Police are investigating a reported burglary at Lee Park Towers.
Patricia Jola on Thursday said she was sleeping on her couch with her apartment door ajar. She awoke to see a man standing in her bedroom. The man walked out of her apartment without any confrontation.
Jola said she checked her apartment and discovered that money, a check card, her apartment keys and a jar of loose change were missing. She described the suspect as white, 6 feet tall with short blond or brown hair, wearing a black and brown jacket and blue jeans.
Anyone with information about the burglary is asked to contact the Hanover Township Police Department at 570 825-1254.
HANOVER TWP. — Police said 61 citations were issued during an aggressive-driving enforcement initiative last month on the Sans Souci Parkway.
Officers stopped 66 vehicles during the enforcement that began on March 24 focusing on distracted driving, speeding and other unsafe driving behaviors. The initiative was part of the Pennsylvania Aggressive Driving Enforcement and Education Project and funded by PennDOT and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
SCRANTON — The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Friday that a criminal information was filed charging a West Pittston residence with conspiring to distribute heroin in 2013 and early 2014.
According to U.S. Attorney Peter Smith, the information alleges Michael Romasiewicz, 21, distributed and possessed with intent to distribute heroin in Luzerne County and elsewhere from January 2013 through Feb. 24.
The charges stem from an investigation by special agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Romasiewicz faces a potential maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine if he is convicted of the charge. The information seeks the forfeiture of two guns seized during the investigation.
SCRANTON — A Wilkes-Barre man was arrested Wednesday when he allegedly showed up at a location planning to have a sexual encounter with a teenage boy, the state Office of Attorney General said Friday.
Thomas Bannon, 45, of High Street, was charged with criminal solicitation to commit involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, criminal attempt to commit involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, unlawful contact with a minor, criminal attempt to commit statutory sexual assault, criminal use of communication facility and corruption of minors. He remained jailed Friday at the Lackawanna County Prison for lack of $20,000 bail.
Agents with the AG’s Child Predator Section conducted an undercover investigation of online advertisements relating to sexually exploiting minors. An suspicious advertisement was found that solicited sex from young boys.
According to the criminal complaint, agents posing at a 14-year-old boy sent a message in response to the advertisement. Bannon allegedly responded and asked the boy if he was going to tell anyone if they met. As the conversation progressed, Bannon allegedly discussed having a sexual encounter with the boy, according to the AG’s office.
Bannon allegedly sent graphic photos to the boy, and expressed a desire to meet. He was arrested when he arrived at a predetermined location in Scranton, the AG’s office said.
KINGSTON — Police arrested a Kingston man they say was transporting drugs and drug paraphernalia in the back seat of his car along with his young son after leaving a house littered with garbage and animal feces.
Robert Boedecker Jr., 20, of 336 Ridge Ave., was charged on Friday with two counts each of delivery of marijuana, possession with intent to deliver marijuana, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and criminal use of a communication facility.
After receiving complaints about drug dealing occurring at the residence, police said they initiated an investigation and made several controlled drug buys over the past two weeks.
Police allege that Boedecker stored marijuana and hashish in the residence and drove to meet customers who wanted to buy drugs. Police also say the drug buys and Boedecker’s residence are in a school zone.
After Boedecker left the residence Friday with his girlfriend and child, police stopped the car, searched it and found seven bags of marijuana, a digital scale and packaging material in the back seat where the child was sitting.
A search of the home, police found six guns, hashish, drug paraphernalia and about $1,500 in cash. Kingston code enforcement officials were called to the home, which police said was “in deplorable condition, with dog and cat feces in the rooms and hallways, garbage throughout the residence and clutter blocking doorways and hallways.”
Boedecker was arraigned before District Judge Paul Roberts and jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of $35,000 on each of two sets of charges related to controlled drug buys. Police said additional charges will be filed in connection with the traffic stop and search of the home.