Russian journalist fined in case that drew broad outrage

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2 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Luzerne County; no new deaths

PITTSTON &mdash; City police arrested Edward James Rodriguez at magisterial district court inside city hall last week when he attempted to file a private criminal complaint against a woman he is accused of stalking.
				Rodriguez, 41, with addresses listed as 77 E. Market St., Wilkes-Barre, and 520 N. Main St., Archbald, was jailed without bail on a single count of stalking as District Judge Joseph Spagnuolo deemed him a threat to the victim.
				Rodriguez was arrested by city police in January 2019 on the same allegations involving the girl when she was a juvenile.
				In the latest alleged incident, police said the woman became emotionally upset and felt sick to her stomach when she was informed Rodriguez was continuing to stalk her.
				According to the criminal complaint and court records:
				Rodriguez showed up at District Judge Alexandra Kokura Kravitz&rsquo;s office inside city hall on July 1 attempting to file a private criminal complaint against the woman. Rodriguez listed the charges as harassment, stalking and open lewdness.
				Rodriguez included photographs of the woman that police say he downloaded from her Facebook page, including a picture titled &ldquo;sophomore&rdquo; when she was a juvenile.
				Police said Rodriguez listed the woman&rsquo;s address knowing she would be served with the private criminal complaint requiring her to appear in court with him.
				Rodriguez listed alleged incidents of his encounter with the woman at the Pittston Tomato Festival in August 2018 where he claimed she stood in front of him staring at him for 60 seconds, jumped out from behind a food stand and surprised him, and jumped up and down in front of him.
				Police in the complaint stated Rodriguez&rsquo;s behavior has been ongoing since 2018 including when he visited the woman&rsquo;s residence resulting in his arrest in January 2019.
				In that case, police alleged Rodriguez showed up at the woman&rsquo;s house shortly after the tomato festival ended with a card and flowers. At the time, the woman was 16-years-old and had never met Rodriguez.
				The woman&rsquo;s mother confronted Rodriguez who drove away as the mother was asking questions.
				Several weeks later, police said Rodriguez used the alias &ldquo;Bee Savage&rdquo; to contact the girl on Facebook, stating he wanted to give her flowers and a card in a trade for a pair of her underwear, court records say.
				As a result of Rodriguez&rsquo;s arrest in January 2019, he pleaded guilty to stalking before Luzerne County Judge Joseph Sklarosky Jr. on May 14, 2019. Rodriguez was permitted to withdraw his guilty plea on Jan. 13 resulting in a trial being scheduled, which is set for September.
				Court records say Rodriguez has gone through three defense attorneys in preparation for trial.

Man arrested at magisterial district court on allegations he stalked girl again