The Sunday Dispatch publishes obituaries of local individuals who reside, formerly resided or have family living in the Greater Pittston area.

Heartache & love

First Posted: 4/1/2012

The following criminal complaints were filed between March 4 and March 25 in Lackawanna County Court. All information is derivative of police affidavits, all charges are pending following preliminary hearings, and all suspects are innocent until proven guilty.

Man stabbed during burglary

Police said Eugene Frank Burdett, 48, of Bloom Avenue, Scranton, was stabbed as he attempted to commit a burglary inside an apartment on West Market Street, Scranton, on March 18. Burdett was allegedly stabbed in the head by William Williams, who told police that Burdett "broke into his apartment and assaulted him." Scranton Ptlm. Christopher Kaushas was the arresting officer.

Burdette was arraigned March 19 on charges of burglary, simple assault, and harassment. He was held for $20,000 bail and pleaded guilty to charges of harassment and defiant trespassing at a March 27 preliminary hearing. Other charges were dismissed or changed.

Boy, 7, alleges sexual assault

A 7-year-old boy alleged that Waleska Guadalupe, 28, of North Main Avenue, Scranton, had hit him and sexually assaulted him regularly. The boy told interviewers at the Children's Advocacy Center that "he would sometimes hide from her because he didn't want anyone touching him there." Guadalupe also watched pornography with the young man. Scranton Det. Jennifer Gerrity was the arresting officer.

She was arraigned March 22 on charges of indecent assault, endangering the welfare of children, disseminating explicit sexual materials, and two counts of unlawful contact with a minor. She was held for $25,000 bail, and a March 28 preliminary hearing was continued to April 11.

DUI driver went wrong way on I-81

Police allege that John Everett Abernathy, 49, of Laguna Lake Way, Elk Grove, Calif., was under the influence of alcohol when he crashed into a tractor trailer on Interstate 81 North. Abernathy allegedly was "turning around in the middle of the interstate" before he crashed into the trailer. State Trooper Jeffrey Winters was the arresting officer.

Abernathy was arraigned March 22 on charges of driving under the influence, careless driving, and driving the wrong way. He posted $5,000 bail, and a March 29 preliminary hearing was continued to May 10.

Dunmore heroin dealer caught

Dunmore police arrested Cory J. Vanderburg, 24, of North Main Avenue, Scranton, after he allegedly sold $150 worth of heroin to a confidential informant outside the Sleep Inn on Monahan Avenue in the borough. Vanderburg also had about 70 bags of heroin in his pants pocket at the time of his arrest. Dunmore Chief Pat Reese and Ptlm. Nick Davitt were the arresting officers.

Vanderburg was arraigned March 21 on two counts of possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver and one count each of possession of a controlled substance and of drug paraphernalia. He was held for $50,000, and he waived all charges at a March 29 preliminary hearing.

Runner attempts to flee sheriffs

Anthony Kissolovege, 23, of Ash Street, Archbald, allegedly attempted to flee Lackawanna County sheriff's deputies in an incident on March 23. Kissolovege, who had an active bench warrant issued March 14, was located in the passenger seat of a car stopped at the Rite Aid on Blakely Street, Dunmore. He was tased two times by two officers, simultaneously, and continued to resist arrest. He had a bag of marijuana in his front pocket at the time of his arrest. Lackawanna County Sheriff's Deputy Matt Brown was the arresting officer.

Kissolovege was arraigned March 26 on two counts of aggravated assault, and one count each of resisting arresting, flight to avoid apprehension, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and disorderly conduct. He was held for $25,000 bail, and a preliminary hearing is set for April 2.

Indecent assault alleged

Gary Wheaton, 26, of Scranton, faces one count of indecent assault for an alleged March 22 incident. Wheaton allegedly grabbed the chest of a woman who was watching television at his home and forcibly removed her pajama pants before sexually assaulting her. The victim was transported to Geisinger-Community Medical Center for a rape examination. Scranton Ptlw. Elaine Bosak was the arresting officer.

Wheaton was arraigned on March 23 on the single charge and held for $10,000 bail. His preliminary hearing is set for April 2.

Duffy busts two for paraphernalia

Scranton Chief Dan Duffy and off-duty Lackawanna County Det. John Munley shared information on Feb. 4 that led to charges against two women for possession of drug paraphernalia. Munley witnessed an alleged drug deal near Roseanna's Pizza on North Hyde Park Avenue. The car carrying Elizabeth Munley, 52, of La Plume, and Sharon Mulgrew, 45, of Scranton, stopped in Cathedral Cemetery on Oram Street. A half-packet of heroin was found at Mulgrew's feet and another half-packet was located in the grass outside Munley's vehicle during a search. Duffy was the arresting officer.

The women face one count each of possession of drug paraphernalia. A preliminary hearing for Munley is set for April 3, and a warrant for Mulgrew's arrest was issued this week, according to court officials.

- CHRISTOPHER J. HUGHES

POLICE BLOTTER