Several charges lodged against city man following ongoing domestic disturbance

With a 10-year-old child in the room, Malik Carroll Poleto grabbed the woman, “choked her, strangled her and physically threw her around, slamming her into a door frame as well as slamming her head off a cabinet,” it was alleged in an affidavit filed by county Detective Kevin Dent. While brandishing a handgun, Poleto, 45, “proceeded to break items around the couple’s home” at 1151 Market St, Dent was told. This alleged assault occurred on Dec 6, the court document stated. During the next six weeks, Poleto is alleged to have “sent hundreds of text messages to the woman wherein he threatened and harassed her repeatedly,” it was stated in the affidavit. During much of that time, the woman sought shelter elsewhere, the detective said. In mid-January, it was alleged that Poleto continued to send threatening and harassing texts to her, Dent said. After the victim filed a protection from abuse order against him, Poleto chased after the woman in his vehicle while she was driving another vehicle, the detective alleged, adding that a minor was riding with Poleto at the time.

Following a recent preliminary hearing before District Judge Aaron Biichle, Poleto was held for court on all charges, including aggravated and simple assault, possession of an instrument of crime (handgun), recklessly endangering another person, endangering the welfare of a child, terroristic threats, stalking, criminal mischief and harassment. He remains in the Lycoming County Prison in lieu of $125,000 bail.

Misdemeanor charge filed against area attorney

Local attorney Timothy Reitz, 51, of 1195 Mill Road, Allenwood, was arrested Friday morning on a misdemeanor charge of official oppression for “exchanging nude photos and having a sexual relationship” with a female client after being appointed by a court in early March 2024 to serve as her attorney, it was alleged in court papers filed by county Detective Loretta Badger. “At the time, the victim was homeless, without custody of her children, financially unstable and emotionally vulnerable following a domestic-violence incident,” the investigator stated in an affidavit.

In one encounter with the woman in March of that year, Reitz told her that he had “a problem to handle,” referring to “sexual activity,” Badger said in the document, adding that “sexual touching” allegedly took place between the two. The client told Badger that she and Reitz “engaged in sexual activity several times during the course of the few months that he represented her,” according to the affidavit. “The sexual activity occurred while Reitz remained her attorney of record, during ongoing dependency litigation, impacting the custody of her children,” the investigator said. The charge was filed last week.

The woman stated “she did not verbally refuse Reitz’s (alleged) advances, but felt unable to decline (them) due to his position of authority as her court-appointed attorney as well as her reliance on him to help regain custody of her children and her emotional vulnerability. She also (admitted) to consuming alcohol prior to his visits due to fear and anxiety,” Badger said.

The investigator said that in mid-September 2024, a court order was issued, releasing Reitz as the woman’s attorney and appointing another lawyer to represent her in her legal matters. The woman later “contacted the Pennsylvania Disciplinary Board and was informed that Reitz admitted to sending inappropriate sexual messages to her, but denied having sexual (relations) with her,” Badger added. Following his arraignment before District Judge Gary Whiteman, Reitz was released on $7,500 bail.

Discovery of drugs and firearm lead to new charges against convicted felon

Convicted drug dealer John Charles Reed, 38, of 323 E. First Ave., South Williamsport, was back behind bars on Friday after he was arraigned before Whiteman on a felony charge of convicted felon not to possess a firearm and other offenses, according to borough police. The charge stems from an incident on Jan. 23 when a probation officer seized a handgun that was discovered in Reed’s bedroom, it was stated in a criminal complaint. Also found on the premises were two bags of suspected cocaine. In addition to the felony offense, Reed has been charged with illegal possession of a firearm, possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia. At the time when the handgun and drugs were seized, there was a protection from abuse filed against Reed that prohibited him from having a firearm, police said. Following his arraignment, Reed was locked up in lieu of $25,000 bail.