Crime & Courts

November 19, 2009

Crash brings arrest of suspected fugitive Police Blotter

HAZLE TWP. – State police at Hazleton said they captured a fugitive from Maryland while investigating a vehicle crash on Airport Roadway on Tuesday.

Police said David Michael Burns, 20, of Beaver Meadows, was involved in a crash just before 9 p.m. Burns was flown to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center, Plains Township, for injuries, police said.

Police said a records check revealed Burns was wanted in Carroll County, Md., on charges he failed to appear in court, according to the criminal complaint.

Burns was jailed at the county prison for lack of $5,000 after he was released from the medical center. An extradition hearing is scheduled on Nov. 25 in Luzerne County Court.

WILKES-BARRE – Police charged a man on Wednesday with giving a false name during an investigation in 2006.

Jeffrey Desir, 25, last known address as Park Avenue, Wilkes-Barre, was charged with providing false identification to law enforcement. He was jailed at the county prison for lack of $5,000 bail.

According to the criminal complaint:

A woman said four people she did not know entered her Carey Avenue home without permission on Aug. 2, 2006. Police said Desir was one of the four. Desir initially identified himself to police using a false name.

WILKES-BARRE – City police reported the following:

• Pliney Nivens Jr., of Bronx, N.Y., was charged on Tuesday with possession of a controlled substance, possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia and possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance.

Police said Nivens was found with illegal drugs on West Jackson Street. He was arraigned by District Judge Donald Whittaker in Nanticoke and released on $10,000 unsecured bail.

• Richard Harris, 43, of Wilkes-Barre, was cited with harassment for striking a woman on Public Square on Friday.

• Jackie Kukosky, 43, of Wilkes-Barre, was cited with public drunkenness after she was found intoxicated at East Market and North Welles streets at 2:26 p.m. Tuesday.

• Joseph Kelly, 22, of Wilkes-Barre, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and several traffic violations after a traffic stop at South Pennsylvania Boulevard and Hazle Avenue on Monday.WILKES-BARRE – A man was charged Wednesday with drunken driving in connection with a crash in a parking lot on South Main Street in September.

Walter Francis Belsky, 56, of South Franklin Street, Wilkes-Barre, was charged with driving under the influence, accidents involving damage to vehicle, driving with a suspended license and failing to have insurance.

He was jailed at the county prison for lack of $1,000 bail.

According to the criminal complaint:

James Crenshaw told police that his parked vehicle was struck in the parking lot of South Main Plaza and the driver entered a restaurant in the plaza on Sept. 18.

Belsky left the restaurant with an open can of beer and began to drive away in a 1991 Chevrolet van. Belsky exhibited signs of intoxication and was taken to Wilkes-Barre General Hospital where he refused to submit to a blood alcohol test, the criminal complaint says.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Nov. 25 in Wilkes-Barre Central Court.

CONYNGHAM TWP. – State police at Shickshinny said Gilbert Gleco, 77, of Shickshinny, was cited with harassment for grabbing a 63-year old woman during an argument at the Shickshinny Sewer Authority on Tuesday.

HANOVER TWP. – State police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement reported statistics for October:

Complaints received, 171; visits to licensed establishments, 297; age compliance checks, four; administrative citations, 40; warnings, 23; minors charged for underage consumption, 20; adults charged for furnishing alcohol to minors, 10; arrests, 13; seized 4 liters of liquor, and 18 gallons of beer.

HANOVER TWP. – Township police reported the following:

• Ruth Markowski, of Tomko Avenue, reported someone damaged two solar yard lights and a fence on her property late Tuesday or early Wednesday morning.

• Randy Setta, of Ridge Street, reported Wednesday someone stole a bag of clothes and a global positioning system from her Mitsubishi Outlander while it was parked near her residence.

• Police captured a township man wanted by the Luzerne County Sheriff’s Department on Wednesday.

Jacob Bartlebaugh, 25, of Mark Drive, was captured after police investigated a suspicious person in the area of Inman Avenue and Pfouts Street at about 1 p.m. Bartlebaugh was wanted for failing to appear in Luzerne County Court, according to court records.

EDWARDSVILLE – Two people were arrested on charges they assaulted a man on Friday.

Richard A. Sypniewski Jr., 22, of Orchard Street, Plymouth, and Diana Krieger, 19, of Short Street, Edwardsville, were charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, harassment and disorderly conduct.

They were arraigned by District Judge Fred Pierantoni in Pittston and remained jailed at the county prison for lack of $10,000 bail each on Wednesday.

According to the criminal complaint:

Michael Stahl arrived at his ex-girlfriend’s residence on Short Street to retrieve personal items and was confronted by Sypniewski, Krieger and others.

Sypniewski knocked Stahl to the ground and Krieger kicked him in the head nearly 10 times, according to the criminal complaint. Police said Stahl suffered a broken bone in his cheek that requires surgery.

Preliminary hearings are tentatively scheduled on Nov. 25 before District Judge Paul Roberts in Kingston.

EXETER – State police at Wyoming and Exeter police said they captured a fugitive wanted in New York on gambling charges on Tuesday.

Police said Vincent P. Laface, 31, of Fairview Drive, was apprehended at his residence at about 3 p.m. Laface was wanted by the New York Attorney General’s Office on 57 counts consisting of gambling, bookmaking, extortion, corruption and conspiracy, police said.

Police said Laface was arraigned by District Judge Joseph Carmody in West Pittston and jailed at the county prison.

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