Latest news with #LackawannaCountyDistrictAttorney'sOffice
Yahoo
23-03-2025
- Yahoo
Juvenile arrested for possession of altered automatic weapons, fentanyl
SCRANTON – The Lackawanna County District Attorney's Office announced Saturday that a 17-year-old juvenile male was arrested and charged with possessing multiple dangerous and altered automatic weapons, as well as dealing fentanyl. 'There is an alarming increase in firearm offenses committed by minors, particularly those involving the illegal modification of semiautomatic weapons into fully automatic firearms using Glock switches,' said District Attorney Brian J. Gallagher. 'This is not a trend we will tolerate.' According to Gallagher, after purchasing fentanyl from the juvenile's home in the 900 block Prescott Avenue in Scranton, law enforcement conducted a search warrant and found two Glock handguns loaded with a drum/extended magazine, one Draco AK-47 style firearm with a loaded magazine and a Taurus handgun. Guns and other contraband confiscated during an arrest Friday evening. (SUBMITTED) Both Glock 9mm handguns had been modified to fire as fully automatic weapons with a single pull of the trigger. Law enforcement also found approximately 300 rounds of ammunition, a quantity of fentanyl pills and a digital scale, Gallagher said in a release. The juvenile was arrested and charged with numerous felony and misdemeanor weapons and drug-related charges. 'This case represents law enforcement's shared mission to investigate, arrest, prosecute, and remove individuals from our community who are harming our neighborhoods with drugs and illegal firearms,' Gallagher said. 'The surge in firearm offenses by minors, especially those involving the illegal conversion of weapons to fully automatic firearms, will be met with unwavering and aggressive law enforcement action.' Gallagher applauded the collaborative efforts of Lackawanna County Detectives, Scranton Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police Troop R Vice Unit, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office Gun Violence Section. Following his arrest, the juvenile was incarcerated at a juvenile detention facility. The District Attorney's Office does not identify juvenile defendants in accordance with the law.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Yahoo
Two charged with selling fentanyl pills during undercover sting
SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Two men are facing charges after police say they investigated a drug trafficking operation in Scranton. The Lackawanna County District Attorney's Office has charged Andre Powers and Merlyn Campusano-Aquino for selling fentanyl pills to a confidential informant in the city's west side. The arrests are part of the DA's Office's 'Take Back our Neighborhoods Initiative' which makes efforts to combat drug-related crime in Scranton. 'We have already taken significant steps to crack down on violent offenders, and we will not let up. Our commitment to public safety is unwavering, and we will maintain a strong and persistent law enforcement presence to protect our families, our businesses, and our neighborhoods. Together, we will build a safer, stronger Lackawanna County.' Lackawanna County District Attorney Brian J. Gallagher Campusano-Aquino was also charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking operation and resisting arrest. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Yahoo
Child porn tip leads to gun, drug charges
SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Two Scranton men have been charged by the Lackawanna County District Attorney's Office for alleged possession of child pornography, guns, and drugs. According to the Lackawanna County District Attorney Brian Gallagher, their office received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that someone in the 800 block of Columbia Street in Scranton's Green Ridge section was uploading suspected child pornography to Snapchat. Gallagher says that on February 6th, the Northeast Pennsylvania Computer Crimes Task Force, along with the Lackawanna County Detectives and Scranton Police executed a search warrant at the home. Upon a search of the house, police found three handguns, including a ghost gun, multiple boxes of ammunition, heroin, cocaine, fentanyl, and electronic devices used to possess and download child pornography, according to the release. Police arrested Lawrence Ortiz Sr., 42, and Lawrence Ortiz Jr., 19, who both lived in the home. Lackawanna County District Attorney Brian Gallagher said the following about the arrest: 'This case exemplifies law enforcement's commitment to collaborate and aggressively investigate and prosecute individuals who exploit children, traffic deadly narcotics, and possess illegal firearms,' said District Attorney Gallagher. 'We remain steadfast in our mission to make the streets of Lackawanna County safer.' Ortiz Sr. is facing gun and drug charges while Ortiz Jr. faces child pornography and other related charges. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
