Chuck Biedka stories, Page 4
Washington County woman pleads guilty to violating federal gun, drug charges
A Washington County woman has pleaded guilty to violating federal drug and gun charges. Alyssa Ashley Adkins, 30, of Houston, entered the plea Wednesday in U.S. District Court at Pittsburgh to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute at least 40 grams or more of fentanyl; a similar...
Eyeglass company offering help through Salvation Army
An online company is partnering with the Salvation Army to provide eyeglasses to Western Pennsylvanians living in poverty for only the cost of postage. Payne Glasses in Upper St. Clair and The Salvation Army of Western Pennsylvania said Tuesday the company would provide up to 5,000 pairs of glasses for...
Paws Across Pittsburgh leads effort to raise money for sick dog
Spice, a small dog found in North Braddock, was close to death. Emaciated and dehydrated, Spice’s temperature was so low, he was suffering hypothermia. The skin-and-bones terrier mix was in no condition to go to a shelter. Instead, Springdale-based Paws Across Pittsburgh was called. Spice was less than 3 pounds....
Reputed Penn Hills gang member gets federal prison for gun charge
A reputed Penn Hills gang member was ordered to spend more than five years in federal prison for having a gun when he was selling illicit drugs, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office in Pittsburgh. Jaamiyl Dean, age 43, of the 100 block of Quail Drive, was sentenced Friday morning...
Heroin falls from driver’s shorts in Tarentum traffic stop
Two men face drug and other charges after police said they pulled over a car in which the men were riding Monday along Route 28 in Tarentum and found heroin and crack cocaine. The northbound car driven by Brad E. Waldbaum, 41, of McKeesport, had been tailgating the vehicle in...
Gang member pleads guilty to guns, drugs charges in Pittsburgh federal court
A gang member pleaded guilty Thursday to drug and gun charges in Pittsburgh’s federal court. Prosecutors said Jaymare Jackson, 29, of Braddock, was part of a neighborhood street gang that distributed illegal drugs in the Pittsburgh area. Jackson was one of 30 people arrested by the FBI in a drug...
Leechburg Road reopened after morning crash
A pickup truck was bent into a V on Thursday morning in a crash on Leechburg Road in Allegheny Township. The crash happened at about 8:45 a.m. Thursday when a driver ahead of the pickup was making a left turn into Sevic Landscaping along the 4000 block of Leechburg Road,...
Freeport Area School Board adds 2 newcomers, returns 3
Two political newcomers led voting to win seats on the nine-member Freeport Area School Board, according to unofficial election results. Republican Greg Selinger, 40, and cross-filed candidate Adam Toncini, 36, will join cross-filed incumbents Frank Prazenica Jr., 72, and Melanie Bolinger, 48, and Michael Huth, 68, on the board for...
Man remains hospitalized after Vandergrift shooting
Authorities are investigating a shooting that happened Tuesday in Vandergrift. A 20-year-old man was recovering Wednesday after being shot once in the leg, according to Vandergrift police Chief Joe Caporali. Caporali said the shooting was reported around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in Franklin Park. The 20-year-old man was found a short...
Man says in lawsuit that Arnold police beat him up, violated civil rights
A Verona man contends in a federal lawsuit that two Arnold officers beat him up after responding to a burglary call that he had nothing to do with in 2018. Matthew Heyl, 28, and his attorneys filed the lawsuit Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Pittsburgh against the officers, the...
Sentencing delayed in Armstrong County sex assault case involving former fire chief
New evidence that a police officer may have improperly questioned a witness before the trial of a former East Franklin fire chief and Applewold councilman accused of sexually assaulting a child prompted the defense attorney on the case to ask for an acquittal. Attorney Marc Daffner said he suspected a...
Homeless man accused of Tarentum burglary
Police accused a homeless man of stealing about 30 pieces of mostly gold jewelry from a residence along Tarentum’s Third Avenue last month. Mark Bachman, 51, was arraigned Monday night. Police say Bachman once lived near the house that was burglarized. Officers found that someone had broken a basement window...
Ross man pleads guilty to federal sex charges
A Ross man pleaded guilty in Pittsburgh federal court to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to sexual purposes. U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady said Thomas Perry Stultz, 37, pleaded guilty to one count before Senior U.S. District Judge Arthur J. Schwab. Prosecutors told the court that the “minor...
Small ATI locomotive leaves tracks but doesn’t block Norfolk Southern trafficVideo
A small locomotive used to pull rail cars between ATI’s two plants in Harrison left the tracks Monday. It was unclear how many people were aboard. No 0ne was injured in the mishap, according to ATI spokeswoman Natalie Gillespie. The front end of the shifter went off on the side...
2 suspects accused of running drug ring in New Kensington headed to county court
The criminal cases against two of three people accused of running a drug ring out of a New Kensington home are proceeding to Westmoreland County court after the suspects waived hearings in district court. David T. Trent, 37, and Jonelle McCandless, 33, are scheduled to be arraigned in Westmoreland County...
Police: Apollo pizza delivery man sold pot to minors
A 22-year-old pizza delivery man from Apollo is accused of selling marijuana to a juvenile who later sold some of it to another juvenile. Kiski Township police Sgt. Thomas D. Dressell, the township’s officer in charge, said Joseph Thomas Kusserow sold 6 grams of marijuana to a minor for $80....
Fayette man facing federal charges for homemade grenades
A Fayette County man is facing federal charges for homemade grenades found in his vehicle during a traffic stop and later in his home. Nathanael Varney, 24, of McClellandtown said he had exploded similar devices for fun and was keeping others to defend himself, according to police. State police stopped...
3 Kittanning troopers among Top Gun honorees
Three troopers from the same Alle-Kiski Valley station will be among those honored Thursday by the Pennsylvania DUI Association. The association will hold is 40th annual meeting through Friday at the Sheraton Station Square in Pittsburgh. Winners of the Top Gun award for arresting suspected impaired drivers include Cpl. Chris...
Pharmacies to police stations, drug take back collection sites open SaturdayVideo
Saturday’s Drug Take Back Day will accept unwanted THC or other vape cartridges but not those with batteries, according to Drug Enforcement Agent Pat Trainor. The 18th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day will be held across the country. The service is free. The event is absolutely anonymous. No questions,...
Man wounded in midday shooting in New KensingtonVideo
Someone shot a man in the leg late Thursday morning in New Kensington, according to city police. The shooting happened in the 1300 block of Leishman Avenue around 11:30 a.m., according to Detective Sgt. Matt Saxman. Witnesses said a gunman fired multiple shots and struck the victim at least once...
Officials investigating early-morning fire in Plum
Fire officials are investigating a fire Thursday at a home in Plum. The fire in the 500 block of Unity Center Road was put out by Plum firefighters. The fire was reported just before 6 a.m., according to an Allegheny County dispatch supervisor. Plum police Lt. Lanny Conley said no...
Apollo man pleads to federal marijuana charges
An Apollo man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Pittsburgh to conspiring to sell more than 50 kilograms of marijuana that he had shipped from Colorado, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Wednesday. Prosecutors said Stephen Michael Lerch, 27, received numerous parcels of marijuana and vaping cartridges containing THC from...
Bellevue man sentenced to 4 years in federal prison for child porn
A Bellevue man was ordered by a federal judge in Pittsburgh to serve four years in federal prison for having child porn, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Wednesday. On Monday, U.S. District Judge Arthur J. Schwab also sentenced Christopher Morrison, 26, of Bellevue, to serve 10 years of supervised release...
Vandergrift police make big meth, heroin haul
An Armstrong County man arrested Tuesday in Vandergrift is accused of having more than $11,000 of crystal methamphetamine and almost three “bricks” of heroin. Monty Gene Smith II, 35, of West Lebanon Road, South Bend Township, was arrested without incident in a residence along the 300 block of Emerson Street...
Police: Men went on $1,500 shoplifting spree at Walmarts in Harrison, Frazer
Two men are accused of stealing more $1,500 worth of electric toothbrushes and razors, teeth whitening strips and food from Walmart stores in Harrison and Frazer. Frazer police said they received a tip Saturday from police in Harrison that the two men had shoplifted at the Walmart in Harrison and...
