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Officials detail how Wolf plan would help West Pittston, other river towns

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WBS Penguins worried more about fixing their own issues than any opponent

Two men facing trial incounterfeit money caseWILKES-BARRE &#8212; Two men accused of possessing counterfeit $100 bills and attempting to pass them at Sheetz in Plains Township will face charges in Luzerne County Court.Elvis Balbuena, 20, of Brooklyn, N.Y., and Imar Pena, 19, of Darling Street, Wilkes-Barre, were charged by Plains Township police after they were found walking away from Sheetz on Route 315 on Feb. 22. A store clerk reported they attempted to pay for an item using a counterfeit $100 bill, court records say.When Balbuena and Pena were searched, officers allegedly found three fake $100 bills in a backpack Balbuena was carrying. A strip search allegedly revealed four more counterfeit $100s hidden in Balbuena&#8217;s anus.Officers told Balbuena he was going to be transported to a hospital to have the bills removed. While in a holding cell, police said he was observed on video removing the bills from his anus and placing them in his mouth, court records say.After a preliminary hearing in Luzerne County Central Court on Wednesday, District Judge Matthew Christopher forwarded seven counts of possessing instruments of crime, four counts of tampering with evidence and one count of criminal conspiracy against Balbuena to county court.Charges of forgery, criminal attempt and criminal conspiracy against Pena were also sent to county court.WB man admitsparaphernalia chargeWILKES-BARRE &#8212; Kevin Alan Fox, 52, of East Main Street, Wilkes-Barre, pleaded guilty to possession of drug paraphernalia during a preliminary hearing in Luzerne County Central Court on Wednesday.Charges of possession of a controlled substance and false identification to law enforcement were withdrawn.Kingston police said Fox was a passenger in a Ford Explorer that was stopped for illegal window tint on the North Cross Valley Expressway on Feb. 23.When Fox was searched, police found a pipe commonly used to smoke crack cocaine and an M&amp;M container that had two heroin packets and a straw with suspected heroin residue, according to court records.Police said Fox identified himself using his brother&#8217;s name.Woman waives hearing onendangerment, drug countsWILKES-BARRE &#8212; A woman charged with endangering an 11-month-old girl with illegal narcotics found in a bedroom of her Kingston residence waived her right to a preliminary hearing in Luzerne County Central Court on Wednesday.Jill M. Foster, 35, was arrested along with her husband, Corey Foster, 36, and Kristen L. Martin, 33, on Feb. 26 as part of a drug trafficking investigation by the Luzerne County Drug Task Force and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.Jill Foster and Corey Foster were arrested at their Zerby Avenue residence where an 11-month-old girl was found inside a bedroom within reach of fentanyl and heroin, court records say.Martin was arrested at her residence on Schooley Avenue in Exeter.Jill Foster waived to county court two counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and one count each of possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and endangering the welfare of children.Preliminary hearings for Corey Foster and Martin were continued to April 3 and March 20, respectively.Hanover man waiveshearing in drug case WILKES-BARRE &#8212; A man accused of peddling fentanyl from his apartment at Stoney Ridge (Hanover Village) waived his right to a preliminary hearing in Luzerne County Central Court on Wednesday.Alberto Carlos Matias, 22, was arrested Feb. 21 when a search warrant was served at his apartment.Matias waived to county court four counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and two counts each of possession of a controlled substance and criminal use of a communication facility.Hearing is waived ingrandma-grandson bustWILKES-BARRE &#8212; A man arrested on drug trafficking charges waived his right to a preliminary hearing in Luzerne County Central Court on Wednesday.Yamel Miguel Flores Ortiz, 20, was arrested along with his grandmother, Edna Jannette Jimemza Davila, 50, when a search warrant was served at their Stoney Ridge (Hanover Village) apartment Feb. 21.Authorities say Ortiz sold fentanyl several times during February.Quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, marijuana, cell phones, digital scales, packaging materials and books listing drug sales and debts were found inside the apartment, court records say.Ortiz waived seven counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, four counts of possession of a controlled substance and three counts of criminal use of a communication facility to county court.A preliminary hearing for Davila was continued to March 20.Bartenders arecleared of chargesWILKES-BARRE &#8212; Charges of furnishing alcohol at unlawful hours were withdrawn against two bartenders at Brooklyn&#8217;s Sports Bar &amp; Lounge at a preliminary hearing in Luzerne County Central Court on Wednesday.Agents with state police Liquor Control Enforcement cited Janice Pope, 44, and Jannelle M. Herbert, 35, both of Wilkes-Barre, with furnishing liquor at unlawful hours and criminal conspiracy to furnish liquor at unlawful hours when the tavern was raided Nov. 18, court records say.Operators of Brooklyn&#8217;s, Ta&#8217;wanna Monique Brown, 45, of Wilkes-Barre, and her son, Aikeem Tayshawn Rollocks, 31, of Mount Pocono, are facing nuisance charges in county court related to gunfire, assaults, open drug use, intoxicated patrons, loud music and unlawful sales of alcohol at the establishment that has since closed.Ashley drug suspectnow headed to trialWILKES-BARRE &#8212; A man arrested last month on drug trafficking charges waived his right to a preliminary hearing in Luzerne County Central Court on Wednesday.Pablo Valentin, 41, of Ashley Street, was arrested Feb. 7 when a search warrant was served at his Ashley residence.Authorities said they found heroin, marijuana, drug paraphernalia and two handguns.Valentin waived to county court two counts each of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance and illegal possession of a firearm plus a single count of possession of drug paraphernalia.Felony charge withdrawn in alleged theft of trailerWILKES-BARRE &#8212; A man charged with stealing a trailer containing $16,000 of tools and wire outside Lumber Liquidators on Mundy Street, Wilkes-Barre Township, last month waived his right to a preliminary hearing in Luzerne County Central Court on Tuesday.Jeffrey Sean Kaub, 41, of Scranton, will now face a misdemeanor count of theft in county court.Township police withdrew a felony count of receiving stolen property and misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.A surveillance camera recorded Kaub using bolt cutters to cut a lock off the trailer&#8217;s hitch, and hauling it away with his Chevrolet Silverado pickup, court records say.Police recovered the trailer near Kaub&#8217;s residence on South Irving Street.Kaub was arrested when he was spotted by an officer at Speed Mart, Wilkes-Barre Township Boulevard, several hours after the theft.Felony trespass charges modifiedWILKES-BARRE &#8212; Two people accused by Wilkes-Barre police with entering a vacant house on Wyoming Street pleaded guilty Thursday to reduced trespass charges.Brandy Benkoski, 34, and Alshura Rahim Jenkins, 42, both listed as homeless, were initially charged with felony criminal trespass when police arrested them for being inside a vacant house in the 100 block of Wyoming Street on Feb. 12, court records say.Under a negotiated plea deal, Benkoski and Jenkins each pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor defiant trespass charge at a preliminary hearing in Luzerne County Central Court.Marijuana and drug possession charges were withdrawn against Benkoski.Check suspectwill face trialWILKES-BARRE &#8212; A Wilkes-Barre man charged with cashing two fraudulent checks from a student aid account at Luzerne County Community College waived his right to a preliminary hearing Thursday.Tyrell Dashon Ed Durham, 24, of South Welles Street, was charged last month with cashing a check for $892 on Nov. 17, 2015, and a second check for $652 on Nov. 11, 2015, at Corner News on North Grant Street in Wilkes-Barre.Court records say the checks were drawn on a federal funds account for financial aid at the college. Durham was not a student and was not issued any checks from the college, authorities report.Durham waived separate counts of theft, forgery, and four counts of criminal conspiracy to county court.<style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>By Ed Lewiselewis@www.timesleader.com</bylineMeta></div>

Court Briefs