NEWS INFORMATION FROM |
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THE OFFICE OF MAYOR STEPHEN R. REED |
FOR IMMEDIATE USE |
23 ADDITIONAL SUSPECTS ARRESTED ON ROBBERY, BURGLARY& OTHER CHARGESMayor Stephen R. Reed today reported the arrests of 14 adults and 9 juveniles on robbery, burglary, firearms violations, drug, assault and other charges in connection with city robberies and burglaries dating back to last year, with nearly all of them being repeat offenders. The arrests are the result of on-going police saturation operations and investigations. The arrests are in addition to the 11 suspects announced last Friday, which included 5 adults and 6 juveniles. (1) Two city juveniles, ages 14 and 17, have been charged with single counts of robbery for an incident that occurred on February 5, 2005, near 15th and Swatara Streets. The pair donned ski masks and black hats and stole the purse of a city woman who was exiting a corner grocery store. The 17-year old suspect struck the woman in the face and grabbed her purse while the 14-year old acted as a look-out. Both are now in custody. (2) A 17-year old juvenile of the first block of Summit Street has been charged with the April 11, 2006 robbery of a city man in the 1200 block of Block Alley. The suspect and an as yet unidentified accomplice stole money from the victim, who was uninjured in the attack. Police continue to search for the juvenile’s accomplice in the crime. (3) Hector Baez-Cosmo, age 20, of the 1300 block of Derry Street, has been charged with Possession with Intent to Deliver Crack Cocaine, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Possession of a Firearm after undercover officers observed him striking his girlfriend near the intersection of 13th & Derry Streets on July 7, 2006. It was the second week in a row that Baez-Cosmo was arrested in possession of an illegal weapon. (4) Michael Chavis, age 38, of the 1200 block of Bailey Street, has been charged with Armed Robbery for his part in robbing two women in the 1700 block of N. 17th Street on July 8, 2006. A 16-year old juvenile has previously been arrested in the case, during which cellphones and purses were stolen and the victims were indecently assaulted. Both suspects face additional charges for other robberies they committed around the same time. (5) Three juveniles, one 15-years old and two aged 17, have been charged with the July 12, 2006 robbery of another 17-year old youth near 19th and Brookwood Streets. All three of the suspects are currently on probation for previous crimes and were wearing court-ordered ankle bracelets when they accosted the victim. Each now faces new charges of Robbery and Conspiracy to Commit Robbery. The arrest of one of the 17-year old suspects was reported last week. (6) A 17-year old juvenile of the 200 block of N. 14th Street faces adult charges for armed robbery and conspiracy stemming from a July 13, 2006 robbery of two men in the 1400 block of Fulton Street. The juvenile and a yet to be identified accomplice, armed with an assault rifle, were cruising city streets looking for victims to rob when they came upon the victims just after Midnight. (7) Jamal Cooper, 18, of the 500 block of Maclay Street, was arrested in the 500 block of Forrest Street on July 14, 2006, following a shots fired call. Cooper fled into a nearby home when police arrived, where the officers found him hiding in a kitchen, holding a bag of crack cocaine. Cooper struggled with the arresting officers and a .40 caliber pistol dropped from his waistband. He is now charged with single counts each of Possession with Intent to Deliver, Resisting Arrest, Carrying an Illegal Firearm, Possession of Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. During this incident several bystanders attempted to intervene and defied police orders to disperse, while also screaming obscenities at the responding officers. Additionally charged were Jennifer Slaughter, age 18, charged with a single count of Obstruction of Law Enforcement; Train Walker, age 19, charged Obstruction of Law Enforcement, Disorderly Conduct, and Trespassing; Christopher Slaughter, age 22, charged with False Identification to Law Enforcement and Disorderly Conduct; and Tracy Latham, age 19, charged with Disorderly Conduct. (8) Christopher Slaughter, age 22, of the 2100 block of Green Street, has been charged with illegal possession of a firearm and parole violations following a July 14, 2006 incident in the 500 block of Forrest Street. Already being sought for parole violations, Slaughter was found in possession of an illegal firearm and also had a portable scanner tuned to city police frequencies. A relative of Slaughter’s, 19-year old Tyhmia Drew, was also arrested during the incident on a single count of Tampering with Evidence for helping the suspect hide his illegal firearm when police entered the home. (9) Celestino Arvelo, age 19, of the 1500 block of Swatara Street, and a 14-year old juvenile have been charged with single counts of burglary in connection with a July 18, 2006 incident in the 200 block of S. 13th Street, where police found the pair removing building renovation materials from the property. (10) Andre Hall, age 33, of the 1800 block of Penn Street, has been charged with parole violations and is a prime suspect in a series of recent midtown thefts and burglaries. Officers engaged in a Midtown undercover saturation operation observed Hall and an accomplice casing homes and vehicles for thefts and burglaries on July 18, 2006. (11) Adam Naftzinger, age 23 of the 100 block of Fishburn Street in Lower Paxton Twp., was charged with multiple counts following an incident in the 1600 block of N. 3rd Street on July 19, 2006 in which he pointed a gun at another person. Already being sought on outstanding warrants, Naftizinger has now been additionally charged with Former Convict Not To Possess Firearm,Terroristic Threats, Simple Assault, Possession of Cocaine, and other firearms violations, and a 9 mm. handgun was recovered. 23-year old Paul Blom, of Penbrook, was also charged with Hindering Apprehension during the incident for his refusal to acknowledge that Naftzinger was hiding inside the house and that he had been with him moments earlier. (12) Carlton Williams, age 38 of Susquehanna Twp., has been charged with Burglary and Possession of Crack Cocaine in connection with a July 21, 2006 incident in the 200 block of Hillside Road. A resident returning home found his front door ajar and Williams still inside. The resident and a neighbor detained Williams until police arrived. (13) Joandaba Cosigo, age 25, of Allentown, has been charged with one count of robbery for his July 21, 2006, theft of a cellphone from a man walking on the Mulberry Street Bridge. Cosigo ran up behind the victim and grabbed the phone from his waistband. The victim notified a passing police officer, who arrested Cosigo seconds later on the ramp down to Cameron Street. Reed said further saturation patrols and intensive on-going investigations are expected to result in the arrests of additional suspects, as well as additional charges against those already arrested. |
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