Police Briefs
Man charged with prohibited acts
Timothy Jason Ortiz, 28, of Towanda was charged with prohibited acts following an incident which occurred on May 23 at an apartment building on York Avenue in Towanda, police reported.
According to Towanda Borough Police, an officer was called to investigate a possible gas leak at the building and when the police officer arrived, the odor was so strong it caused the officer's eyes to burn.
The officer contacted the Towanda Fire Department to come and check the house for a leak, police said.
As two people came out of their apartment, the officer asked if they smelled the odor and they replied that they did not, police said. The officer asked to see their identification, which was provided, police said.
Then, according to the police report, Ortiz exited his apartment and the officer asked him if there was anyone else in the apartment. He said, "No. Go and look."
The officer went into the apartment to check for other people and found in plain view a glass smoking device commonly used for smoking marijuana, police said. After checking Ortiz's apartment and the other apartments in the building for other people, the officer informed Ortiz he was not under arrest, but that he would be detained and placed in the back of the patrol car until the fire department was ready to leave, police said.
Ortiz admitted the smoking device was his and said that he had a prescription for medical marijuana in California.
Ortiz told the officer that he was not on probation, that it was revoked and that he was awaiting resentencing, police said. The Bradford County Probation Department informed the officer that Ortiz was still on probation.
Charges were filed and Ortiz was released, police said.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 11 a.m. on July 24, before Magisterial District Judge Timothy Clark.
Man reports access device fraud
Joseph C. Vermilya, 68, of Towanda reported to police that his bank card was used at various department stores in the Wysox area without his permission, police reported.
According to state police, the incidents occurred around 9 a.m. on May 25.
Paintball gun reported stolen
Alex J. Boyer, 18, of Wysox reported to police that a JT Tactical Paintball Gun was stolen, police said.
According to police, the theft occurred sometime between 2:30 p.m. on June 6, and 6 p.m. on June 7, during a weekend the victim was holding a rummage sale on Route 187, in Wysox.
Police said the items were left outside, unsecured overnight and that the person that took the paintball gun was believed to have attended the yard sale during the daytime and returned at night to take the gun which was valued at $130.
Sayre woman, Towanda man charged after vehicle break ins
Sayre Borough Police filed several charges against Carmen A. Dutra, 18, of Sayre, and Derek Malawski, 19, of Towanda, who are facing the charges after stealing items from several vehicles in Sayre Borough on June 23, Sayre police said.
According to criminal complaints filed against Dutra and Malawski, Dutra has been charged with theft from a motor vehicle, possession of a small amount of marijuana, loitering and prowling at nighttime, and receiving stolen property, while Malawski has been charged with theft from a motor vehicle, receiving stolen property, and prohibited offensive weapons.
Police received a call stating two individuals were seen in the caller's neighbor's vehicle at about 3:18 a.m., police said.
Police looked in the vehicle and saw items scattered around inside, police said.
Another officer told police he was with two individuals, later identified as Dutra and Malawski, at the corner of North Hopkins Street and Stevenson Street in Sayre, police said.
Police spoke with Dutra and Malawski, who were in possession of a backpack and blue rolling cooler, which Dutra said they found and took while walking, police said.
Police asked Dutra if she had anything on her person or in her bra, to which she said no and "I don't believe so," police said.
Police asked Dutra to pull her bra and upon doing so Dutra pulled out a small baggie of marijuana and was placed in custody, police said.
Malawski told police that Dutra entered the vehicles, police said.
Dutra confirmed with police she had entered vehicles and said a friend told her "car shopping was a rush," police said.
Dutra told police the backpack Malawski had contained more items and police found a Garmin GPS, multiple CDs, and a bottle of pills that did not belong to either Dutra or Malawski, police said.
Malawski also possessed a cane that contained a small sword, police said.
Dutra and Malawski were released on $1,000 unsecured bail.
Dutra and Malawski will appear before Magisterial District Judge Michael Shaw on July 7 for their preliminary hearings.
Whitney Point, N.Y. man facing stalking charges
James Matthew Greenwood, 32, of Whitney Point, N.Y., has been charged with stalking, loitering and prowling at night, prohibited offensive weapons, criminal trespass, and disorderly conduct by Sayre Borough Police after a June 25 incident on North Wilbur Avenue in Sayre, police said.
Police were dispatched to a North Wilbur Avenue residence at about 1:30 a.m. after a female caller said her ex-boyfriend was walking in her lawn and looking in her windows, police said.
The caller also said he may have weapons in his possession, police said.
Police arrived and saw a male, later identified as Greenwood, walking out of the caller's gated lawn, police said.
Police asked Greenwood to remove his hands from his pockets and after placing him in handcuffs found brass knuckles in his jacket pocket, police said.
Greenwood told police he was in town to see a friend on Valor Street, which is nine blocks from the residence, and said, "It's not what you think," police said.
Police said Greenwood had an alcoholic odor on his breath and had bloodshot eyes. Greenwood told police he "had a few," police said.
Police said Greenwood blew a .084 percent when given a breathalyzer test.
Greenwood was remanded to the Bradford County Jail in lieu of $10,000 bail.
Greenwood will appear before Magisterial District Judge Michael Shaw on June 30 for his preliminary hearing.
Towanda man charged with theft
Travis Alan White, 28, of Towanda has been charged with theft by unlawful taking or disposition and receiving stolen property relating to an April 26 incident at the Sears store in Wysox Township.
According to police, White stole a money bag containing $1,851.36 from the store's safe. White was employed by the store at the time of the incident and was one of two employees who closed the store on the night of the theft.
Police said White contacted them on June 16 and said he relapsed on heroin and that he had taken the money from Sears in order to buy drugs.
Police said White provided a written confession in regard to the theft.
White has been sent a summons to appear before Magisterial District Judge Fred Wheaton at 3:30 p.m. on July 21 for a preliminary hearing.
Couple charged during domestic dispute inside barn
Duane Norman Hunsinger, 52, and Stacey Margene Hunsinger, 53, both of Sayre, have been charged with simple assault and harassment relating to a domestic dispute that occurred in a barn on Labarre Road in Rome Township.
Police said the two both caused injury to each other during the fight.
Stacey Hunsinger told police that she brought a baseball bat to the scuffle, according to court documents.
Duane Hunsinger suffered injuries to his forehead that were caused by the baseball bat, police said.
Stacey Hunsinger suffered injuries to her forehead and also received bruising on her right arm and a small abrasion on her left knee, police said.
The couple were arraigned on June 14 by Magisterial District Judge Jonathan Wilcox and released on $5,000 unsecured bail. The two are scheduled to appear before Magisterial District Judge Fred Wheaton at 1:15 p.m. on July 14 for a preliminary hearing.
Woman accused of stealing jewelry
Haley Ann Edsell, 19, of Towanda has been charged with theft by unlawful taking or disposition, receiving stolen property and criminal trespass relating to an incident on June 11 at a residence in Orwell Township.
According to police, Edsell stole two rings and an earring, valued at approximately $150, from a private residence in Orwell Township. Police said Edsell then pawned the three items for $34 at Towanda Coin Jewelry and More, police said.
Police reported that Edsell did admit to stealing the jewelry and that she used the money for gas and cigarettes.
Edsell has been sent a summons to appear before Magisterial District Judge Fred Wheaton at 3:30 p.m. on July 21 for a preliminary hearing.
Police investigate school incident
State police are investigating an incident that occurred at 10:30 a.m. on April 22 at the Northeast Bradford School in Orwell Township.
According to police, a 12-year-old suspect brought a plastic bag containing a white powder to the school. Police said the substance was submitted to a lab for forensic analysis.
The investigation remains open pending the lab results, police said.
Unlawful contact with minor
State police are investigating an incident that occurred sometime during June when an unknown individual had inappropriate contact with a 10-year-old female victim on the message application known as Snapchat, police said.
Police said the incident occurred in Rome Township.
The investigation continues, police said.
Harassment charges filed
A 24-year-old male and 20-year-old female have been charged with harassment relating to an incident that occurred at 11:50 p.m. on June 21 on the 800 block of Main Street in LeRaysville Borough, police said.
Police said the two people got involved in a physical altercation during which both parties slapped each other multiple times.
The names of the two suspects were not released by state police.
DUI charges
The following people were recently charged with driving while under the influence in Bradford County:
Levi Curtis Chilson, 26, of Wyalusing, by state police, on April 16, on Wyalusing New Albany Road in Terry Township. Chilson was also charged with speeding and careless driving. A blood test later revealed Chilson had detectable amounts of THC and Hydrocodone-Free in his blood. Chilson has been sent a summons to appear before Magisterial District Judge Timothy Clark at 10:30 a.m. on July 17 for a preliminary hearing.
Dane Leon Woodruff, 21, of Millersville, by state police, on May 23, on Shaffers Notch Road in Terry Township. Woodruff was also charged with driving in the wrong lane, driving at an unsafe speed and careless driving. A blood test later revealed Woodruff's blood alcohol content was .243 percent on the day of his arrest. Woodruff has been sent a summons to appear before Magisterial District Judge Timothy Clark at 10:30 a.m. on July 17 for a preliminary hearing.
Zachary Tyler Keeney, 23, of Towanda, by state police, on May 16, on State Route 187 in Asylum Township. Keeney was also charged with failing to stay in his lane and careless driving. A blood test later revealed Keeney's blood alcohol content was .175 percent on the day of his arrest. Keeney has been sent a summons to appear before Magisterial District Judge Timothy Clark at 10:30 a.m. on July 17 for a preliminary hearing.