Latest news with #PennsylvaniaStatePoliceTroopRViceUnit
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Yahoo
Police: Wanted Scranton man crashes into patrol vehicle
A wanted Scranton man faces additional charges after police said he drove his car into a patrol vehicle during an undercover drug sting in the city Thursday. As members of the Scranton Police Street Crimes Unit, Lackawanna County Detective Drug Unit and Pennsylvania State Police Troop R Vice Unit were monitoring social media platforms, they noticed Ezequiel Soto advertising the sale of marijuana on his account, officers said. Investigators were also aware Soto had an active arrest warrant issued by Scranton police for theft, according to a criminal complaint. Soto (Courtesy Lackawanna County Central Processing) Investigators contacted Soto using an undercover social media account and initiated a conversation, eventually arranging to meet up to purchase marijuana from him for $70, police said. Around 7 p.m., investigators observed a blue Volkswagen Jetta enter a parking lot with Soto in the driver's seat, officers said. Officers positioned their vehicles behind and aside Soto's and he attempted to exit the area by going in reverse, nearly striking an officer's vehicle before shifting into drive and accelerating, striking the front end of a detective's vehicle, police said. Investigators then removed Soto and a passenger — identified as Cesar Diaz — from the car and detained both, according to the criminal complaint. Diaz faces charges of possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Investigators found approximately 14 grams of marijuana inside Soto's car, police said. Then, during a search of Soto's residence on the 500 block of Emmett Street, they found a large bag containing approximately 148 grams of marijuana on the bedroom floor, approximately 42 grams in the dresser area, plastic bags used for packaging narcotics and a digital scale with marijuana residue, police said. Police charged Soto, 20, with aggravated assault, possession with intent to deliver, criminal use of a communication facility and related counts. As of Monday, Soto remained at Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $50,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 1 at 9 a.m.
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Yahoo
Police: Alleged gang member and father face drug charges in Scranton
SCRANTON — A father and son are facing felony charges after law enforcement officials raided their Theodore Street residence Tuesday. Caesar Alexza Agosto, 18, of 622 Theodore St., Scranton, an alleged gang member, is charged with possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and possession of marijuana. Caesar Agosto, 45, also of 622 Theodore St., faces the same charges. According to the criminal complaint: On Tuesday, members of the Scranton Police Street Crimes Unit, the Lackawanna County Detective Drug Unit, the Pennsylvania State Police Troop R Vice Unit and the state attorney general's office executed a search warrant at the Agostos' residence. As they approached the residence, they saw the younger Agosto leaving the building and walking toward his vehicle. Officers intercepted, arrested and searched him, finding a THC vaporizer and an iPhone. At that point, he indicated he wanted to speak with an attorney. During their search of the residence, investigators found an ashtray filled with partially smoked marijuana cigarettes, a small bag containing marijuana and a marijuana grinder in the basement of the house. Investigators then requested a second search warrant, and while they were waiting for it to be approved, spoke with Kelly Agosto, the younger Caesar Agosto's mother. She admitted there was marijuana inside the residence. She told investigators her husband had a medical marijuana card, but her son did not. She said her son was the only family member who regularly spent time in the basement. But, when the elder Agosto returned to the residence, he said marijuana found in the basement belonged to him and provided a valid medical marijuana card. Investigators then resumed the search and found 2 grams of marijuana and $210 in cash in the younger Agosto's bedroom. They also found a plastic bag containing 27 grams of marijuana, two digital scales, two metal grinders and packing material in the basement. During a search of the master bedroom, investigators found a digital scale with cocaine residue on the vanity and a small baggie containing 18 grams of cocaine in the elder Agosto's jacket pockets, as well as a container holding THC wax on his nightstand. Both men have preliminary hearings scheduled for 9:45 a.m. on April 10 before Sean McGraw.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Yahoo
Man faces drug charges after cocaine sale to informant
SCRANTON — A 49-year-old Luzerne County man faces felony drug charges after police say he sold cocaine to a confidential informant. On Tuesday, investigators from the Scranton Police Street Crimes Unit, detectives from the Lackawanna County district attorney's Drug Unit and Pennsylvania State Police Troop R Vice Unit met with the informant, who provided information about illegal activities involving Khalif Franklin — also known as 'Dolla' — who has been involved in the distribution of cocaine in the Scranton area, according to a criminal complaint. After the informant arranged to meet Franklin at a designated location to purchase cocaine, the informant was given confidential funds and equipped with a recording device to aid in the investigation, charges read. According to the criminal complaint: Investigators established surveillance and observed Franklin arriving at the agreed-upon location on Wyoming Avenue, where he met the informant. Officers heard the transaction take place. Franklin got back into his vehicle and began driving away when he was stopped by police. He admitted to selling cocaine to the informant. Franklin had two iPhones and admitted to having used one of them to set up the cocaine sale to the informant. Officers searched Franklin and found marked bills used for the sale of cocaine to the informant and a baggie containing a small amount of cocaine. Franklin told investigators a female passenger of the vehicle was not involved in the transaction and she was released. The amount of cocaine officers recovered from the informant was consistent with the sum of money provided them to purchase the drug. Police charged Franklin, of 54 Lynwood Ave., Hanover Twp., with possession of a controlled substance, possession of paraphernalia and criminal use of a communication facility. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 9:15 a.m. on April 3 before District Judge Christopher Szewczyk. Franklin is free on $50,000 unsecured bail.
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.
