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Physician finds Trump ‘sharp’

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In wake of Hawaii, local man recalls false alert from days as young soldier

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; A West Pittston man who is currently facing child-sex charges was resentenced on a previous gun charge Tuesday.</p><p>Mendel Fernandes, 38, must serve 50 to 100 months &#8212; or four years and two months to eight years and four months &#8212; in state prison for possessing a firearm as a felon.</p><p>Fernandes had been serving three years in the intermediate punishment program, or IPP, for the gun charge. But Assistant District Attorney Angela Sperrazza argued Fernandes&#8217; recent arrest on child-sex charges was a violation of the program, which allows for house arrest instead of incarceration.</p><p>Fernandes was charged in November with involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, statutory sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault and corruption of minors. Police say he had a sexual relationship with an Exeter teen from the time she was 13 until last October, when she was 15.</p><p>Fernandes is accused of having sex with the girl at numerous locations, exchanging nude photos with her and filming their sex acts. He admitted to having sex with the girl, police say, but denied filming.</p><p>Luzerne County Judge David W. Lupas agreed with Sperrazza&#8217;s assessment, revoking the IPP sentence and ordering prison time.</p><p>Fernandes will appear in court again before Lupas on the child-sex charges on March 2.</p><p>Until then, he&#8217;s been remanded to a state prison.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Fernandes </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/web1_web1_Fernandes.jpg</photo0><caption0>Fernandes </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Patrick Kernan</p><p>pkernan@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Patrick Kernan at 570-991-6386 or on Twitter @PatKernan</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Man accused of child sex headed to state prison for previous gun charge