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WB triple-shooting suspect nabbed after appearing in court in unrelated case

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Mosque shooter a white nationalist seeking revenge

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; A man was arrested and crack cocaine and a firearm seized when drug agents served a search warrant Friday morning in a raid related to the recent rash of violence across the city.</p><p>Speaking at the regional office for the state Attorney General, Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis identified the man as Kevin Bowden, also known as &#8220;Ghost.&#8221; </p><p>Wilkes-Barre Police Chief Joseph Coffay said Bowden is linked to other associates involved in the series of shootings in February that rocked the city.</p><p>Salavantis said a quantity of crack cocaine and a firearm were found inside the second-floor apartment at 119 Hanover St.</p><p>A state police helicopter hovered overhead as drug agents from the Attorney General&#8217;s Narcotics Unit, city police and Luzerne County Drug Task Force stormed into the building in search of Bowden.</p><p>Salavantis and Coffay said they could not say how Bowden is connected to the violence that included at least three drive-by shootings and a shooting of a man on Bowman Street in mid-February.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s all part of the ongoing investigation,&#8221; Salavantis said.</p><p>A week ago, agents searched an apartment at 127 Academy St., and 390 Grant St., both in Wilkes-Barre, allegedly finding quantities of illegal narcotics, packaging materials, money counters, firearms and ammunition.</p><p>Nigel Deshawn Velardo, 22, also known as &#8220;Tay,&#8221; whose addresses are listed as 390 Grant St., and 222 Park Ave., Wilkes-Barre, and Breanna Knight, 22, were arrested at the Academy Street apartment when it was searched March 8.</p><p>Colin Frank King Jr., 20, of Madison Street, Wilkes-Barre, was arrested earlier this week on a warrant charging him with multiple financial crimes related to depositing fraudulent checks at area banks and credit unions.</p><p>Authorities said they confiscated heroin from King when he was arrested, and he was also wanted for questioning in the shootings.</p><p>Meanwhile, Jyzah M. Morgan, 21, of Fulton Street, Pittston, is facing aggravated assault and related charges in county court as authorities allege he drove a Mitsubishi Lancer in a drive-by shooting on Lockhart Street, Wilkes-Barre, on Feb. 18. After the Lockhart Street shooting, authorities allege Morgan altered the appearance of the Mitsubishi by adding tint to its windows and removing a rear spoiler.</p><p>Court records say Onje Crowder, 19, of McCarragher Street, Wilkes-Barre, fired multiple rounds at the Lockhart Street house from the Mitsubishi. Crowder has eluded capture since he was identified by authorities as the alleged gunman.</p><p>Three other men, Genrie Smith, 19, and Elijah Jones, 21, both of 390 Grant St., and Tareem McDonald, 21, of New York City, remain wanted by police in connection to the recent spate of gunfire.</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_TTL031619Crack2-3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Kevin Bowden, also known as &#8216;Ghost,&#8217; was found inside a second-floor apartment at 119 Hanover St. in Wilkes-Barre during a raid Friday, police say. Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis said a quantity of crack cocaine and a firearm were also found. Authorities said the raid was linked to the investigation into a rash of recent shootings across the city. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_TTL031619Crack2-3.jpg</photo0><caption0>Kevin Bowden, also known as &#8216;Ghost,&#8217; was found inside a second-floor apartment at 119 Hanover St. in Wilkes-Barre during a raid Friday, police say. Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis said a quantity of crack cocaine and a firearm were also found. Authorities said the raid was linked to the investigation into a rash of recent shootings across the city. </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_WB-Raid-2-03152019-5.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Police say a man was arrested and crack cocaine and a firearm seized when drug agents served a search warrant at a second-floor apartment in this Hanover Street home in Wilkes-Barre on Friday morning. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_WB-Raid-2-03152019-5.jpg</photo1><caption1>Police say a man was arrested and crack cocaine and a firearm seized when drug agents served a search warrant at a second-floor apartment in this Hanover Street home in Wilkes-Barre on Friday morning. </caption1><photoCredit1>Ed Lewis | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_TTL031619Crack1-4.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Wilkes-Barre Police Chief Joseph Coffay, personnel from the state Attorney General&#8217;s office and other law enforcement gather during a raid on Hanover Street in Wilkes-Barre on Friday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_TTL031619Crack1-4.jpg</photo2><caption2>Wilkes-Barre Police Chief Joseph Coffay, personnel from the state Attorney General&#8217;s office and other law enforcement gather during a raid on Hanover Street in Wilkes-Barre on Friday. </caption2><photoCredit2>Ed Lewis | Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_Bowden.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Bowden </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_Bowden.jpg</photo3><caption3>Bowden </caption3><photoCredit3>Ed Lewis | Times Leader </photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_TTL031619Crack2.cmyk_.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Kevin Bowden, also known as &#8216;Ghost,&#8217; was found inside a second-floor apartment at 119 Hanover St. in Wilkes-Barre during a raid Friday, police say. Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis said a quantity of crack cocaine and a firearm were also found. Authorities said the raid was linked to the investigation into a rash of recent shootings across the city. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_TTL031619Crack2.cmyk_.jpg</photo4><caption4>Kevin Bowden, also known as &#8216;Ghost,&#8217; was found inside a second-floor apartment at 119 Hanover St. in Wilkes-Barre during a raid Friday, police say. Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis said a quantity of crack cocaine and a firearm were also found. Authorities said the raid was linked to the investigation into a rash of recent shootings across the city. </caption4><photoCredit4>Ed Lewis | Times Leader </photoCredit4></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Ed Lewis</p><p>elewis@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div>

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Police: Crack cocaine, firearm seized in WB drug raid related to recent violence