Crime & Courts

July 24, 2009

Police Blotter

SUGAR NOTCH – Drake’s Auto Electric Service, 619 Main St., reported to police that a customer’s 1993 Mercury Sable that was left for service was stolen sometime early Wednesday morning.

The pewter/champagne-colored vehicle bore Pennsylvania registration HGS6139, police said. Anyone with information about this vehicle is urged to contact Sugar Notch Police Department at 822-9283 or dial 911.

PLAINS TWP. – A Mountain Top man, who had a drunken driving conviction in 2008, was arrested on evidence of drunken driving after he allegedly nearly struck a township police officer early Thursday morning.

Police said Stephen Slattery Strickler, 25, of Fawn Court, nearly struck the officer directing traffic at South River and Helen streets.

Strickler displayed signs of intoxication and was transported to Wilkes-Barre General Hospital for a blood-alcohol test, police said.

Police said charges are pending results of the blood test.

According to Luzerne County Court records, Strickler was sentenced to six months in the accelerated rehabilitation program in March 2008 on drunken driving charges filed by Wright Township police.

SCRANTON – A Georgia man was indicted by a federal grand jury on Thursday on allegations he used the Internet to solicit sex from a child.

Scott Swanson, 52, of Hiawassee, is charged with participating in the production and attempted production of child pornography, transportation of child pornography and attempted enticement of a child for sex on the Internet, said Martin Carlson, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

Carlson said Swanson is charged with committing the alleged offenses from November to April. Swanson was initially charged by the Wyoming County District Attorney’s Office in April with sending sexually explicit e-mails to a 14-year-old girl, according to arrest records.

WILKES-BARRE – City police reported the following incidents:

An unknown suspect entered 40-year-old Lisa Deleman’s residence and stole her photo ID, Social Security card, clothes and a purse at rear 668 N. Washington St. at 9:20 a.m. Wednesday.

• A vehicle parked on Parrish Street was damaged on Wednesday.

Someone stole 47-year-old Douglas J. Jordan’s 1999 Plymouth Voyager – bearing Pennsylvania license plate HDT-9031 – while it was parked in the area of 26 Brookside St. at about 10 a.m. Wednesday.

Jason Simo, 22, of Jersey City, N.J., was charged with showing false identification to law enforcement for allegedly giving a false name to officers during a domestic incident at 118 Kidder St. on Tuesday.

• Brian Cutter, of Bowman Street, reported on Thursday someone spray-painted graffiti on his building.

• A homeowner on Simpson Street reported items were stolen from her garage on Wednesday.

• Robert Kugler reported on Thursday that two computers were stolen during a burglary at Plastic Art Signs, North Pennsylvania Avenue.

• Charles Kirkutis, 37, of Wilkes-Barre, faces charges of criminal mischief and harassment after a woman claimed he damaged a fence at her home on Puritan Lane and harassed her on Thursday.

• Several televisions and VCRs valued at $5,845 were taken from a South Pennsylvania Avenue building on Wednesday.

• Wheels were removed from a parked vehicle on North Sherman Street on Wednesday.

• A 2002 Honda scooter, Pennsylvania registration VZV29, was stolen from the South Main Plaza, South Main Street, on Wednesday.

WILKES-BARRE – The state Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement, District Office No. 2, issued to Barbara J. Bitzer, owner of Oasis Inn, 166 N. Pennsylvania Ave., the following citations between April and June:

The licensed premise was not operating as a restaurant in that it failed to provide food upon request on May 7 and June 17.

Two violations of the Clean Indoor Air Act on April 11, one for permitting smoking in a public place where smoking is prohibited, and the other for failure to post signage.

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