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Details Revealed In Infant’s Death; PA Man Faces Murder Charge: Affidavit
Newly released court documents provide chilling details about the events leading up to the death of a 3-month-old baby, for which Harrisburg resident Eriezer Eddie Melendez Jr., 37, is now facing a murder charge.
According to an affidavit of probable cause obtained by Daily Voice on Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 27, Pennsylvania State Police were dispatched to a home on Canvasback Drive in Oliver Township on Thursday, Nov. 15, at 8:31 a.m., for a report of an infant in cardiac arrest. The baby, identified as "CR," was transported to Penn State Hershey Medical Center, where doctors determined she…
MD Man, 26, Wanted For Soliciting Explicit Photos From PA Teen: Affidavit
A Maryland man is waned for pressuring a 15-year-old girl to send explicit photos and describing violent sexual acts in Snapchat messages, York County Regional Police detailed in court documents obtained by Daily Voice on Thursday, Nov. 21.
Brady A. Knatz, 26, of Hampstead, MD, began communicating with the York County teen, identified as S.C., on Sept. 25, 2024, using the Snapchat username "scooby_snacs," according to the affidavit of probable cause. Knatz allegedly initiated the conversation by asking S.C. if she wanted a "sugar daddy" and revealed he was 24 years old, police said.
S.C. to…
Lancaster Teen Charged With Armed Robbery At Tobacco King In Ephrata: Police
A 16-year-old boy from Lancaster has been charged in connection with an armed robbery at the Tobacco King store in Ephrata, police announced on Monday, Nov. 25.
The teen faces multiple charges, including felony robbery, felony firearms not to be carried without a license, misdemeanor possession of a firearm by a minor, and misdemeanor recklessly endangering another person, according to Ephrata police.
The robbery occurred on Sept. 2, 2024, at the Tobacco King store at 108 N Reading Rd., Ephrata Borough. Following an investigation, a warrant was issued, and the juvenile was apprehended by th…
New Charges For 'Sugar Daddy' Predator Who Used Meth-Laced Drinks To Assault NJ, PA Women: DA
Andrew Gallo, a 40-year-old self-proclaimed "sugar daddy," has been charged with drugging and sexually assaulting 11 women he met on dating sites, including sugardaddymeet.com, Bucks County authorities announced Monday, Nov. 25, 2024.
Gallo allegedly followed a disturbing pattern with his victims: He would boast about his bartending skills, serve them spiked drinks from pre-opened bottles, and then assault them at his Levittown, Pennsylvania home, authorities detailed in court documents obtained by Daily Voice.
The newly amended complaint now includes six additional victims, including…
Baby Nearly Killed When PA Man Shakes Her: Affidavit
A Harrisburg man is accused of shaking a 3-month-old baby, causing life-threatening injuries, according to court documents obtained by Daily Voice.
Troopers responded to a call about a baby in cardiac arrest at a home on Canvasback Drive in Oliver Township on Thursday, Nov. 15, at 8:31 a.m., Pennsylvania State Police said in the affidavit of probable cause.
The baby, identified as "CR," was taken to Penn State Hershey Medical Center, where doctors found severe injuries, including extensive subdural hematomas, retinal hemorrhages, and bruising considered a sentinel injury, according to med…
PA Man Faces 86 Charges For Raping 4 Children Over 9 Years: Affidavit
A Hatfield man has been charged with 50 felonies and 36 misdemeanors related to the alleged sexual abuse of four minors across Montgomery County, authorities announced on Thursday, Nov. 21.
Resul Mustafa Ozdemir, 26, of Pinegrove Avenue in Hatfield Township, was arraigned on the charges and jailed on $500,000 cash bail, according to court records.
The charges against Ozdemir include five felony counts each of rape by forcible compulsion, rape via threat of forcible compulsion, rape of a child, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse by forcible compulsion, involuntary deviate sexual intercou…
Lititz Man, 70, Charged After High-Speed Chase Through Warwick Township: Police
A 70-year-old East Petersburg man faces felony and misdemeanor charges after allegedly fleeing police during a traffic detail in Warwick Township, the Northern Lancaster County Regional Police Department announced on Wednesday, Nov. 20.
Stefan Hoenicke, of East Petersburg, was driving a white Honda CRV southbound on Lititz Pike around 9:52 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 3, when he allegedly attempted to evade a traffic detail conducted by NLCRPD and the U.S. Secret Service near W. Millport Road, police said in the release.
Officers said Hoenicke entered a right-turn lane before swerving left, bypassi…
Lititz Man Accused Of Possessing Over 750 Child Pornography Images: Police
A Lititz man is accused of possessing over 750 images of child pornography, police announced on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024.
Michael Gwyn Davies, 62, was charged after an investigation in Lititz, according to the police.
He was charged with multiple felonies for possession of child pornography, according to the police and confirmed by court documents.
His preliminary arraignment was set before Judge Joseph C. Stauffer at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 7, as detailed in his docket. He has been held in the Lancaster County Prison on $80,000 in bail as set by the judge.
His prelimin…
Sex Toy Shatters Glass Door In PA, State Police Say
An airborne sex toy shattered part of a glass door — landing a Dauphin County man charges, Pennsylvania State Police detailed in a release Daily Voice received on Saturday, Oct. 26.
Brent Alan Reed, 24, of Lykens, has been charged with a count of criminal mischief for the incident, PA State Police explained.
The victim, a 24-year-old woman, told troopers, that he "threw his clear and red, ribbed, battery operated sex toy at her front door," as stated in the release.
This bizarre act of criminal mischief played out at a home on Center Street in Wisconisco Township on Sunday, Oct…
PA Infant's Life Cut Short After Father Violently Shook Her, Community Rallies Around Family
A one-month-old Lackawanna County girl died after her father violently shook her. Now, the community is rallying around the family.
Cecilia Rossetti suffered traumatic injuries after falling prey to Shaken Baby Syndrome, according to a GoFundMe campaign set up to benefit the family. She died on Monday, Oct. 21.
Although her life was short, "Cecilia's sweet, gentle spirit has touched the hearts of many, especially her big sister Celeste, who has cherished every moment of being a big sister," the campaign states.
Watching the two sisters together was their mother's greatest joy, a…
Estate Executor Steals $27K+ From Elder, Ephrata Police Say
An estate executor has been charged with multiple felonies in connection with a nearly $28,000 theft, the Ephrata Police Department announced on Wednesday, Oct. 16.
Dervin L. Bender, 58, of Ephrata, is accused of stealing $27,760 from an estate for which he was an executor over two years, the police alleged.
He has been charged with felonies for Theft by Unlawful Taking and Financial Exploitation of an Adult or Care-Dependent Person, according to the police.
Bender's preliminary arraignment was held before Magisterial District Judge Landis on Tuesday, Oct. 15, according to the police. …
Convicted PA Thief Pleads Guilty to Allentown Murder, Among 3 Other Cases: DA
A 22-year-old Bethlehem man has admitted to murder, and numerous other crimes the Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan announced on Monday, Oct. 14.
Legious Robert Minder Jr., pleaded guilty to Murder in the Third Degree, Conspiracy to Commit Murder, Attempted Murder, Aggravated Assault, and Possession of Firearm Prohibited for the Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022, slaying of Najeer Lane, 22, of Allentown, according to the DA.
Minder Jr. had been charged along with two other men for Lane's death as well as the attempted murder of Bless Jones during Allentown so…
Man Who Watched Girls Changing Charged With Human Trafficking: Dauphin County DA
A man caught assaulting girls and watching them change their clothes has been convicted of human trafficking, the Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office announced on Friday, Oct. 11.
Kevin Alting, 52, pleaded guilty to criminal attempt to commit trafficking in individuals, unlawful contact with a minor, and indecent assault of a minor under the age of 16 before Judge Scott Arthur Evans on Thursday, Oct. 10, according to the DA’s release.
"Under Pennsylvania Law, engaging in a commercial sex act with a minor is Human Trafficking," the DA noted.
Alting’s charges stem from crim…
PA Woman Shot By Husband While Reading Bible: Affidavit
An 84-year-old Bethel woman was shot in the head as she was reading the Bible, according to court documents obtained by Daily Voice on Tuesday, Oct. 8.
The woman was shot by her husband, Howard "Philip" Boltz, as she was sitting at their dinner at their dining room table at 9:10 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 4, as detailed in the affidavit of probable cause.
Boltz, 82, told his wife, "I can't stand it no more. You are cutting me down," as he placed a .22 caliber rifle's barrel against her head, according to the document. The rifle was still covered with a cloth Boltz used to protect it while i…
Non-Verbal Autistic 8-Year-Old Boy Bruised By Cumberland County School Aide: Affidavit
An aide to a non-verbal elementary school student in Cumberland County has been charged with endangering him after other adults witnessed the abuse and the boy came home with bruises on his face, according to court documents obtained by Daily Voice on Monday, Sept. 30.
Jessica Ann Rachelle Piper, 36, of Enola, was charged, arrested, and had a preliminary arraignment on Friday, Sept. 26 after an 8-year-old boy came home from East Pennsboro Elementary School with bruises, township police detailed in an affidavit of probable cause.
Piper was employed by Substitute Teacher Services, Inc., …
PA Bodybuilder Who 'Sucker Punched' Man Gets Jail Time: DA
A bodybuilder who "was defending his wife and stepdaughter" punched a man causing injuries, on Tuesday, Oct. 1 he was sentenced to jail, the Lancaster District Attorney Heather Adams announced.
Francisco Perez, 56, of the 800 block of East Chestnut Street in Lancaster City, pleaded guilty to assaulting another man during an argument in 2021 before Judge Thomas B. Sponaugle at 9 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 30, court records show.
Judge Sponaugle sentenced him "to 11.5 to 23 months in county jail and $39,000 in restitution as part of a negotiated plea deal," as written in the DA's …
PA Man Took 5-Year-Old To VA, NY For Sex: Usdoj
A 54-year-old Pennsylvania man has been sentenced after admitting to taking a 5-year-old girl for sex in Virginia and New York, the US Department of Justice announced on Wednesday, Sept. 25.
John Oathout, of Harrisburg, PA, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes in Syracuse, NY on Friday, Sept. 20. He'll serve 25 years in federal prison followed by 20 years of supervised release, and he'll be a registered sex offender for the remainder of his life, according to the USDOJ release.
Oathout admitted to taking the 5-year-old girl on trips out of state w…
PA Man Pleads No Contest In Sword Slaying Of Parents, Dogs: Court Docs
A 43-year-old man who was accused of killing his parents and the family dogs with a sword entered a plea of no contest in September 2024. His trial was supposed to start Monday, Sept. 16.
Levar Fountain was 38-years-old when he supposedly had a mental health episode and killed his father, John Fountain, 74, and stepmother, Mary Fountain, 65, the dogs at the home they shared in the 300 block of Wallace Street in York on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019.
The bodies were found in the basement, covered with sheets when a relative came to check on the Fountains, police detailed in the affidavit of p…
