Blotter
Contractor charged with deceptive business practices, theft in Wilkes-Barre Township
WILKES-BARRE TWP. A construction contractor from Scranton was arraigned Tuesday on allegations he failed to complete renovations to a residence after receiving cash from the homeowner.
Hazleton man sentenced to state prison
WILKES-BARRE Luzerne County President Judge Michael T. Vough sentenced Joel Castillo Pena, 29, to 10 to 20 years in state prison for trafficking illegal drugs and illegally possessing two firearms.
Sex assault charges withdrawn due to death of accuser
WILKES-BARRE Felony sex assault charges were withdrawn against a Kingston Township man due to the death of the accuser.
Man sentenced for assaulting teen at Sherman Hills
WILKES-BARRE One of two men accused of assaulting a juvenile about a missing firearm inside a Sherman Hills apartment was sentenced in Luzerne County Court.
Ex-caregiver sentenced for stealing from dependent person
WILKES-BARRE A former home health care provider was sentenced to probation for using bank and credit cards of a dependent person for personal purchases.
More time in prison for ‘Poppy’
WILKES-BARRE Luzerne County President Judge Michael T. Vough added several years in state prison for a convicted Wilkes-Barre drug pusher.
Nanticoke woman sentenced for trafficking fentanyl
WILKES-BARRE A Nanticoke woman arrested on allegations of peddling fentanyl was sentenced to six months to one-year at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility.
Former constable facing probation violation
KINGSTON TWP. A day after being sentenced for providing false information to authorities investigating a reported sexual assault, former state constable John Raymond Shaskas Jr. was charged with pos
Alleged trafficker serving drug sentence
WILKES-BARRE A Plains Township man charged with being a top official in a drug trafficking ring that snarled a Hanover Township police officer Thursday is currently serving a sentence for peddling i
Plymouth man faces firearms charges
WILKES-BARRE District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce s office has announced the results of a joint investigation across multiple departments and agencies, which yielded the arrest of a Plymouth man on mul
Assault charges dismissed against Pittston Township man
WILKES-BARRE A district judge in Luzerne County Central Court dismissed all charges against Michael Patrick Boyle, 51, when no one showed up for a preliminary hearing.
Bidding found guilty of assaulting police officer, striking man with vehicle
WILKES-BARRE A Luzerne County jury deliberated for more than two hours Thursday before finding Willard S. Bidding Jr. guilty of striking a man with a vehicle and assaulting a Plymouth police officer
‘No ma’am, I didn’t run nobody over’
WILKES-BARRE Calling it a blood bath, Willard Stanley Bidding Jr. claimed a Plymouth police officer smashed his head causing his blood to cover a police cruiser s rear seat and throughout a holdin
Jury selected in Plymouth pedestrian crash trial
WILKES-BARRE About one hour after he was removed from a Luzerne County Courtroom for being too loud while seated in the gallery, jury selection began for the trial of Willard Stanley Bidding Jr. on
Butler Township man pleads guilty to sexually assaulting woman
WILKES-BARRE A Drums man pled guilty in Luzerne County Court to sexually assaulting a woman as she slept in 2020.
Hanover Township man pleads guilty to shooting, role in slashing
WILKES-BARRE As the Luzerne County jury trial of Jocelyn Lee Rodriguez began on charges she slashed a woman s face, co-defendant Malik Macon in another courtroom pleaded guilty to his role in the al
Man, 31, charged with burning girl, 5
LEHMAN TWP. Township police charged a man after a year-long investigation into how a 5-year-old girl suffered critical burns resulting in permanent scarring of her legs.
DA: Shooting by bystander justified
WILKES-BARRE A bystander licensed to carry a firearm engaged with the man who state police at Wilkes-Barre charged with shooting a woman outside a nail salon business earlier this month.
Investigation ongoing in riot at First Hospital
WILKES-BARRE Luzerne County District Attorney Sam Sanguedulce held a news conference Monday to provide details of what was described as a large scale incident at First Hospital in Kingston Saturda
Man pleads guilty to soliciting sex from child
WILKES-BARRE A man from Lancaster County arrested by Kingston Township police on allegations he solicited sex from a girl pleaded guilty to related charges.