Category: Western Pennsylvania News

By Steve Pope | February 26, 2019

A Westmoreland County man pleaded guilty Tuesday to felony charges of attempting to have sexual contact with a 14-year-old, according to Attorney General Josh Shapiro.

Kelly Harrington, 48, pleaded guilty to felony charges of unlawful contact with a minor, criminal attempt and criminal use of a communication facility in connection with a June 2018 incident where he solicited an undercover agent posing as a minor for sex.

According to court documents, Harrington had an online conversation with the agent and despite being told he was communicating with a 14-year-old, he continued to pursue a conversation with the agent.

Harrington solicited the agent for unlawful sexual contact and arranged to meet the agent, according to a criminal complaint.

“My office is committed to protecting children from abuse and will prosecute anyone we find attempting to prey on minors to the fullest extent of the law,” Attorney General Josh Shapiro said. “This predator made arrangements to meet up with someone he believed was only 14 years old. Thanks to the relentless work of our agents and prosecutors, he is being held accountable for his illegal actions.”

A sentencing date will be scheduled 90 days after the presentence investigation is completed.

The Office of Attorney General’s Child Predator Section has made 179 arrests since January 2017 when Attorney General Shapiro was sworn into office.

Steve Pope can be contacted at steve.pope@grantstreetnews.com

By Steve Pope | February 18, 2019

Greensburg police have tacked on 10 additional charges in addition to those a 37-year-old Jeannette man is facing in connection with last week’s police chase that ended with the man crashing into a utility pole.

Police say Thomas Campbell discarded five tiny kittens during the chase that were stuffed in a backpack.  They are now safe at a Greensburg animal shelter, according to authorities.

The chase began shortly after 1:45 p.m. Wednesday when a detective began questioning Campbell about a series of thefts from the Gander Outdoors store in Greensburg. Authorities allege in a court document that Campbell was captured by store surveillance cameras stealing 19 packages of razor-sharp archery blades valued at $1,000 and a trail camera valued at $230.

Campbell fled in a Jeep and crashed into a utility pole about one mile down the road. Police found him hiding in a crawl space beneath a mobile home.

In addition to the animal cruelty and fleeing from police charges, Campbell is facing burglary, theft and entering an unoccupied structure charges, as well as multiple traffic violations.  He is also facing retail theft charges in connection with a September incident.

He is currently being held on $75,000 bond at the Westmoreland County Prison.

Steve Pope can be contacted at steve.pope@grantstreetnews.com

 

By Amanda Klein | February 15, 2019

State police have accused a Cambria County woman with stealing over $10,000 from a McDonald’s restaurant where she works.

According to a criminal complaint, Cheryl Anne Dahmen, 33, took $10,844 belonging to the restaurant instead of depositing it in the bank.

She is facing two theft charges, according to online court records.

Police allege in the complaint that instead making three days worth of deposits in January, Dahmen kept the money.

On Jan. 24 the restaurant’s owner told a state trooper that the deposits were not made. Under questioning by police Dahmen gave varying accounts of what happened to the missing money.

Dahmen said she forgot to make the deposits and then said the money was either lost or stolen, the complaint said.

Dahmen then told police she planned to try to cover up the missing money by altering deposit slips and planned on replacing the money later.

Dahmen was released from jail on a $10,000 unsecured bond. Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 1.

Amanda Klein can be contacted at amanda.klein@grantstreetnews.com

By Terri Hill | February 14, 2019

A retired Pittsburgh firefighter who authorities say was involved in a large scale cocaine trafficking scheme for more than 20 years, pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court to drug charges.

Walter Amman, 68, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to traffic in cocaine and one count of possession of a controlled substance.

According to court documents and information revealed in court, Amman and his 77 year-old partner in the conspiracy, Richard Wright, of Banksville, had been purchasing kilogram level amounts of cocaine for more than two decades.

Wright would process the cocaine by packaging it in smaller quantities and converting some into crack. In more recent years, Amman took a more active role in the operation and assisted with the processing, packaging and distribution of the cocaine, prosecutors said.

Authorities made two controlled purchases of cocaine from Amman and then obtained search warrants for his home as well as Wright’s house and his garage.

During the search of Wright’s home police located cocaine prepackaged for sale and color-coded for size; multiple firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition; large amounts of cash; and multiple vehicles registered to Amman and his family.

Authorities found powder cocaine; large amounts of cash; three pistols (including one registered to Amman); and a safe imbedded into the concrete floor, when they searched his garage.

While searching Amman’s residence police found firearms; prepackaged amounts of crack and cocaine in a jacket with Amman’s name on it; keys to a truck (in the jacket); additional cocaine was found in the truck along with $1,000 in cash.

Amman admitted to authorities that between 700 grams and one kilogram of cocaine, as well as the crack cocaine found on his property were his, prosecutors said.

Federal authorities seized Amman’s Daytona Beach home in 2016, alleging in court papers that he paid for the home with money he obtained from selling drugs.

Amman is scheduled to appear for sentencing on June 7. He faces a total sentence of up to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $2,000,000, or both.

Terri Hill can be contacted at terri.hill@grantstreetnews.com

By Terri Hill | February 11, 2019

Attorney General Josh Shapiro filed a lawsuit Monday against Verizon alleging the company repeatedly failed to deliver promised incentive items to consumers who enrolled in certain two-year contracts with the company.

According to the lawsuit, Verizon advertised to consumers that they would receive a free Amazon Echo and, in some cases, a free Amazon Prime subscription, for beginning or renewing specific contracts between November-January 2018.

The filing alleges that Verizon’s conduct constituted violations of the Pennsylvania Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law.

“If a company chooses to promise incentives to consumers signing up for their services, it is their legal responsibility to deliver on those promises,” Attorney General Josh Shapiro said in a written statement.

Customers were told they would receive an email with instructions on claiming the incentive items after the account with Verizon had been active for 31 days. However, some consumers never received a hyperlink to obtain their free Echo and/or Amazon Prime membership as promised, the lawsuit alleged.

Verizon represenatives told consumers who called inquiring about the incentive they never received were simply told that the problem would be corrected, but never was.

The lawsuit alleges that Verizon did not correct the hyperlink problems for months, and certain consumers never received their free Echo or Amazon Prime Membership. Despite this, the consumers remain enrolled in the Verizon contracts and are subject to early termination fees to get out of their 2-year contract.

Consumers who believe they have experienced issues with Verizon’s offer for a free Echo and/or Amazon Prime membership are urged to contact the Bureau of Consumer Protection at 1-800-441-2555 or scams@attorneygeneral.gov, or can file a complaint at www.attorneygeneral.gov.

Terri Hill can be contacted at terri.hill@grantstreetnews.com

By Amanda Klein | February 8, 2019

The owner of a substance abuse clinic was indicted Tuesday by a federal grand jury on charges of illegally dispensing controlled substances and money laundering.

Stephen K. Shaner, 69, of Bulger, owner of SKS Associates, Inc., is facing a five-count indictment alleging that between May 2012 and April 2018, he conspired with Dr. Michael Cash and Dr. Ruth Jones to create and submit unlawful prescriptions for buprenorphine, and then unlawfully dispensed the drugs.

The indictment also alleges that Shaner submitted fraudulent claims to Medicare, for payments to cover the costs of the buprenorphine.

Shaner is also alleged to have used the proceeds of the drug activity to pay for personal obligations in violation of  money laundering laws.

The two doctors named in the indictment have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.

“We have made significant progress in combatting the opioid epidemic in the Western District of Pennsylvania,” said U.S. Attorney Brady. “Overdose deaths are down overall in our District. But our work has not ended. We will continue to investigate and prosecute those who prey on people with opioid addiction.”

If convicted on all the charges Shaner faces up to 60 years in prison, a fine of $1,750,000 or both.

Amanda Klein can be contacted at amanda.klein@grantstreetnews.com