Police Blotter

HAZLETON – A Hazleton man was charged on Thursday for having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old female.

Charlie Melendez, 32, of North Locust Street, was charged with two counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and a single count of statutory sexual assault. He was jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of $75,000 bail.

The girl told police in August that she had a sexual relationship with Melendez that started around Oct. 31. She claimed to have sex with Melendez several times inside his home. Melendez claimed the girl initiated the sexual encounters with him, the criminal complaint says.

Justin L. Stevens, 24, North Locust Street, Hazleton, was charged with simple assault and harassment, according to court records. Stevens was jailed at the county correctional facility for lack of $5,000 bail.

A woman claimed Stevens punched her several times in the head, causing injuries to her face and neck at his residence on Wednesday, the criminal complaint states. A preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled on Sept. 30 before District Judge Joseph Zola in Hazleton.

LAKE TWP. – State police at Wyoming said someone forcibly entered a Troxell Switch Road residence while the owner was not home and stole various items of jewelry sometime between 1 p.m. and 4:15 p.m. Wednesday.

HUNLOCK CREEK – A woman suffered moderate injuries after her vehicle struck a restaurant just before 1 p.m. Tuesday, police said.

State police at Shickshinny said Mary E. Wildoner, 55, driver of a 2002 Jeep Liberty, was westbound on Route 4016 when she had a medical emergency and struck the front corner of Morris’ Family Restaurant, causing minor damage. The business had been closed for some time prior to the crash, police said.

Wildoner, of Hunlock Creek, was transported to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center, Plains Township, police said.

HAZLETON – A city man was charged Thursday with allegedly assaulting a man during a misunderstanding over missing CDs.

Police said 20-year-old Anthony J. Guarisco, of Hayes Street, struck Zachary Hanes in the head several times with a belt and threatened he would kill him if he didn’t leave town at 39 � E. Broad St. late Tuesday night, arrest papers state.

Hanes told police he believed he was assaulted by Guarisco and two other men over the missing items, police said. He was taken to Hazleton General Hospital for treatment.

Guarisco was charged with making terroristic threats, simple assault, conspiring to simple assault, intimidation of witness and harassment. Police also charged him with similar charges for allegedly forcing his way into the East Broad Street home looking for Hanes, arrest papers state.

Guarisco was jailed at the county prison for lack of $10,000 and $25,000 bail on both sets of charges. A preliminary hearing has been tentatively scheduled for Wednesday.

HAZLETON – A city man was arraigned Thursday on charges he forced his way into a house to collect a drug debt.

Edmond DeJuane Davis, 30, South Wyoming Street, was charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance, and one count each of criminal trespass and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was jailed at the county prison for lack of $20,000 bail.

Police allege in arrest papers that Davis kicked in the door at a house on South Pine Street to collect $80 owed to him for crack Wednesday afternoon.

Police said in the criminal complaint that Davis was in possession of suspected crack and marijuana. A preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled Wednesday before District Judge Joseph Zola in Hazleton.