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Convicted drug dealer arrested yet again
Convicted drug dealer Joshua Tito Kendall, 39, of 968 Market St., has been arrested on new charges following his alleged involvement in two cocaine sales from his home -- one on Dec. 12 and another Jan. 10, both involving a confidential informant, according to court records filed by the county's Narcotics Enforcement Unit.
After Kendall was taken into custody at his home on Jan. 12, investigators executed a search warrant at the house, where they found about 8 more grams of packaged cocaine and a handgun in his bedroom, court records stated.
Charged with one felony count of convicted felon not to possess a firearm, three counts of delivery of a controlled substance and two counts of illegal use of a communication device, Kendall was arraigned before District Judge Gary Whiteman and initially jailed, but has since been released on $110,000 bail.
Out-of-control patient facing numerous charges
Felony assault charges have been lodged against an out-of-control patient at UPMC Williamsport after he became combative with staff in his room in the medical center's East Wing about 11:40 p.m. on Jan 7, it was alleged in an affidavit filed by hospital police at the office of District Judge Aaron Biichle.
After pulling out all medical lines from his body, Travis A. Bashista ran into a bathroom, but quickly came back out and was assisted by two nurses as he went to the floor, police said. "He placed his arm around one of the nurse's shoulders and then closed his arm around her head and neck, putting her in a headlock," it was alleged.
Bashista, 28, of 117 Green Pine Road Extension, Montgomery, refused to release his grip on the nurse, who could not break free until a male nurse entered the room, grabbed Bashita's arm and forced it up, thereby allowing the nurse to slip her head out, police were told. Additional medical staff, as well as security officers and police officers, responded to the room and restraints were put on Bashista after he was moved from the floor to his bed, police said.
He became infuriated and suddenly broke his right arm free and tried to punch one of the officers, the affidavit stated. He yelled and "called everyone various names, making physical threats of violence" as he kicked and flailed about, trying to break free, police said.
At one point, Bashista grabbed one of the officer's service revolvers, "trying to remove it from its holster," police said. He also managed to thrust both his knees into another officer's groin area, "causing the officer to immediately feel sick like he was going to throw up," it was alleged in the court document. A doctor in the room told staff, "It was clear that Bashista was aware of where he was and what he was doing," the affidavit stated.
Bashista, who has since been discharged, was arraigned Monday before District Judge Aaron Biichle on four felony counts of aggravated assault, one felony count of assaulting a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest, terroristic threats, simple assault and disorderly conduct. He was released on $75,000 bail.
Homeless man charged with felony shoplifting
Northy Wilbur Dean, a 50-year-old homeless man, has been jailed on one felony count of shoplifting after he walked out of Wegmans, 201 William St., with a case of beer without paying for it about 7:45 p.m. on Jan. 22, city police alleged. He was nabbed the next day shortly after returning to the supermarket and then leaving, police said.
It is a felony offense because it was his third shoplifting arrest, police added.
Following his arraignment before District Judge William Solomon, he was jailed in lieu of $15,000 bail.
Convicted felon faces firearm charge
Lawrence E. Gaines III, 37, of 111 Calvert St., Jersey Shore, has been charged with convicted felon not to possess a firearm after a county probation officer discovered a rifle in his home on Nov. 8, according to Lycoming Regional Police.
Gaines claimed a female acquaintance "stole the rifle from a safe and that he wanted her charged," it was stated in an affidavit. However, it was determined that the woman actually purchased the rifle for Gaines, who gave her cash for the purchase, police alleged.
A convicted drug dealer, Gaines was arraigned before District Judge Denise Dieter and initially jailed, but he has since been released on $15,000 bail. He has since been held for court on the one felony charge.
City man charged with receiving stolen property
Matthew Brian Hamilton, 35, of 1015 Park Ave., has been charged with receiving stolen property after being paid for three radiators that he brought to a local recycling business on Nov. 30, knowing that they were stolen, state police alleged in court papers. Investigators determined that the radiators were stolen from R&S Trucking in Clinton County's Greene Township.
Arraigned before District Judge Christian Frey, he has since waived his preliminary hearing and is free on $5,000 bail.
City woman charged with theft
Barbara Lee Cook, 39, of 1064 Vine Ave., has been charged with theft after taking $1,655 from McDonald's, 1730 E. Third St., between mid-August and Sept. 2 while employed there, state police alleged in an affidavit.
She has waived her preliminary hearing before Whiteman and is free on $5,000 bail.
Inmate allegedly tried to flee from hospital
Lycoming County Prison inmate Alex DeJesus, taken to UPMC to be treated for an undisclosed matter on the afternoon of Dec. 29, faces an additional charge of felony escape after he attempted to flee from the emergency room while in the custody of two corrections officers, it was alleged in court papers filed by a county detective.
DeJesus, 44, of 19 Roseville Road, was in a treatment room with one leg shackled to a bed when he said he needed to go to the bathroom, it was stated in an affidavit.
He was unshackled, but moments later he jumped from the bed and pushed one corrections officer aside as he quickly ran past a second, the affidavit stated.
Both officers chased DeJesus down a hallway. He was taken into custody, still in the emergency department, but only after an officer deployed his taser gun twice on him, court papers stated.
DeJesus has waived his preliminary hearing before Biichle and remains incarcerated in lieu of $50,000 bail.