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A very low number of victims are ever repaid in full, but report aims to change that

February 19, 2013, 1:37 pm
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A state task force released a report that finds a startlingly low number of victims ever receive full restitution.

The Restitution in PA Task Force says they hope their report is a wake up call that the restitution system needs to change.

They came up with four main points including uniformity and coordination of information.

The Restitution in Pennsylvania Task Force found that in the last three years, state crime victims collected just $50 million of $434 million dollars in restitution.

Another slap, they say in a victim’s face.

“Unfortunately victims do not choose to be crime victims,” stated Andrew Barnes, Director of Victim Services for the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. “That final piece may write off, but ultimately the rest is a small way to try make the whole crime easier on the victim.”

Barnes is the Director of Victim Services for the Department of Corrections. He served on the Task Force and helped the 39-member team decipher the lack of uniformity in restitution collection across the state.

Their report is full of recommendations.

Barnes says the changes are needed, but acknowledges this is just a starting point.

Still, he says it is an issue everyone should care about because anyone can become a victim forced to deal with the aftermath of the crime.

The task force met over a 12-month period.

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Mayor Bracey speaks to college students about giving back, improving York

February 19, 2013, 1:53 pm
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York Mayor Kim Bracey traveled to Dauphin County to talk with Penn State Harrisburg students and staff about her life as mayor.

She talked to the group not only about her life, but her goals for York and the challenges the city faces.

Mayor Kim Bracey attracted members of the public, staff and students at Penn Stare Harrisburg.

Marcellus Taylor is a graduate student who didn't have to think twice about coming to meet her.

“She's the first African-American and African-American female Mayor of a major city in Pennsylvania,” Taylor explained. “I'm from Philly always involved in politics heard she was coming and thought, wow it is a part of history.”

And he was not disappointed. Bracey touched briefly on her own background in York, but focused mostly on York's future.

One of the issues many took home is just how important she believes it is to volunteer and get involved in the community.

“We don't see people volunteering, belong to social group or even churches,” Mayor Bracey explained. “It is so concerning.”

“You want to be able to help the community you have to find out what's going on in the community that's something she emphasized a lot,” stated the Vice President of Student Government Ernest Ubaonu.

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Man who fell into quarry over the weekend charged with trespassing

February 19, 2013, 1:56 pm
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On February 16, Harrisburg City Police officers were called to the area of Brenner Motors on Paxton Street for a report of a man who fell into a quarry.

Officers talked to a man at the scene who told them he was seeking a male companion and picked up Sean Walton, 31, of Camp Hill near 17th and Derry Streets.

The man told police he drove Walton to a street off of Paxton Street and intended to go to a home, but Walton got upset and they argued.

Walton grabbed the man's car keys and ran off.  The man chased him, as Walton ran into traffic on Paxton Street and around the rear of Brenner Motors.  The man told police Walton then climbed a fence and fell into the quarry, but he held on to a tree to keep from falling into the water.

A large number of crews responded to rescue Walton.  He was taken to Hershey Medical Center for treatment, and was released a short time later.

Walton is facing charges including theft, possession of Marijuana, Possession of drug paraphernalia, disorderly conduct and trespassing.

The investigation continues and anyone having any information on this is asked to contact Lt. Robert Fegan at 717-255-3114 or email rfegan@cityofhbg.com.



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Lancaster City firefighter injured in deadly fire, comes from long line of firefighters

February 19, 2013, 2:07 pm
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A Lancaster City Fireman is still in critical condition after being severely burned in a fatal house fire early Monday morning.

On Tuesday, we learned that Lt. Andre Kelley who is currently in a burn unit, comes from a family of firemen with nearly 60 years of service to Lancaster City.

“We pray for Andre. He’s a great firefighter and he’s a tough individual. He’s going to pull through this.” Said Chief Tim Gregg, of the Lancaster City Fire Department.

On Monday morning, a fire tore through a home on the 200 block of E. Madison Street in Lancaster, Lt. Andre Kelley risked his life to save the people trapped inside. Both people trapped in the house, died in the blaze. Kelley suffered severe burns.

Gregg said he's not surprised Kelley put his life on the line to save others.  “He’s very dedicated to his job. I think this shows his level of dedication where he immediately put himself in peril to rescue and adult victims and child upstairs.”

Kelley’s family tells CBS 21 the 32-year-old has been a fireman for 12 years. The McCaskey graduate married his high school sweet heart and they have two children.

We are also told Kelley comes from a family of firemen. His father served Lancaster City for 27 years and his uncle is in his 18th.

A brother-in-law of one of the victims of the fire says to him, Kelley is a hero.  “Any fire fighter who is going to risk their lives by going into a burning blaze and doing there job and help and taking the risk. They are heroes.”

Lt. Kelley is in the Chester-Crozier Medical Center. We will keep you updated on his condition.

He is expected to live.

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Local auto auction collects funds for Sandy relief

February 19, 2013, 2:23 pm
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The Harrisburg Auto Auction collected $35,337. 77 for Hurrican Sandy Relief.  The Auction donated $5.00 for every vehicle.  Employees also collected monetary donations from dealers attending the auction.

The check was presented to the American Red Cross.

The Red Cross has served more than 12 million meals and snacks, and provided more than 110,000 health services and emotional support contacts to people affected by Sandy. The Red Cross has deployed nearly 17,000 disaster workers from all 50 states; about 90 percent of these workers are volunteers. The Red Cross has also distributed nearly 7 million relief items. Since Sandy hit, response organizations have provided more than 163,000 shelter stays. The Red Cross provided more than 81,000 of those stays.

Help people affected by disasters by donating to the American Red Cross. A financial gift supports the lifesaving mission of the American Red Cross in the community, across the country and around the world. Call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions may be sent to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 4624, Lancaster, PA 17604. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting redcross.org or www.redcross-scpa.org.



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UPDATE: Lancaster woman charged for death of her elderly mother

February 19, 2013, 1:09 pm
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Neighbors of 88-year-old Janet Bastendorf, say they haven't seen her in months.  Kris Petrosky lives across the street.  "I haven't scene her for a couple of years, I know that she was hospitalized and then staying at home and her daughter was caring for her."

Bastendorf's 66-year-old daughter, Janice Harmes, is charged with her death. Police say Harmes is charged with third degree murder, involuntary manslaughter and neglect of care of a dependent person.

"I talked to the daughter all the time, she came the door and stuck her head out. I built that ramp next door.

The deceased had lived on this quiet street in East Lampeter Township for more than 40 years." Said Richard Cornish, who lived next door to Bastendorf for 20 years.

The coroner says sepsis, which is caused by infection,  killed the elderly woman.  She also had a large ulcer from an extended time in one position.

The death happened back on January 7th, an autopsy determined death was a direct result of the daughter allowing her mother to sit in a chair wearing a diaper filled with feces and urine without moving for about ten days.

Neighbors say the daughter had recently been spending most of her time at her mothers house. She had been living at a house in Lancaster City and received several citations for poor care of the house and yard.  That house is now condemned.

Even though neighbors were aware of the poor conditions at the East Lampeter house, they had no idea of how dire they were for Bastendorf.

Janice Harmes is in the Lancaster County Prison in lieu of $150,000 bail.

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A Lancaster County woman is facing charges for the death of her elderly mother.

East Lampeter Township Police say Janice Eileen Harmes, 66, is facing multiple charges for the death of her elderly mother Janet Bastendorf, 88.

Police say Harmes was the sole caretaker of her care-dependent mother and she failed to provide treatment or care for the victim.

According to a press release, Bastendorf died from sepsis, which is a condition caused by infection as well as a decubitus ulcer.  Harmes allowed her mother to sit in a chair wearing a diaper filled with feces and urine without moving for 10 days.

The Lancaster County Coroner's office ruled the death as a homicide.

Harmes faces charges including murder of the third degree, felony neglect of a care-dependent person and misdemeanor recklessly endangering another person.

She is currently in Lancaster County Prison with $150,000 bail.
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UPDATE: Change to prevent prisoners from collecting unemployment will save taxpayers even more than expected

February 19, 2013, 1:56 pm
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UPDATE:

You may remember a story we did last February on prisoners collecting unemployment. The story caused so much outrage that PA lawmakers were forced to change state policy to stop inmates from collecting.

It is now being reported that taxpayers will save even more money than first thought.

At first when this change in state policy was announced, it was estimated to save taxpayers $12 million every year. But a new report says it will save taxpayers $18 million a year. A state representative says our story lead to this change.

“The story helped to bring it to the forefront and get a lot of people talking about it,” explained Representative Ron Miller, Former Chairman of the Department of Labor and Industry.

“Do you have any guilt?” we asked a prisoner who was collecting.

“No. No. Not really,” was his response. He cheated the system by collecting unemployment checks while behind bars.

He told us how easy it was and we learned the state had no idea it was happening. But now we are learning more about how widespread the abuse was.

A recent Philly.com report says 25,500 inmates in PA were collecting unemployment, averaging $344 a week for18 weeks. This man said it was a problem.

“So this is pretty hush-hush in jail?” questioned our reporter.

“Yeah.”

“So there could be a lot of other people doing it?” we probed

“I would say there were definitely, definitely several others,” added the inmate.

In January, the state unveiled a new social security cross-match system so inmates can no longer collect. Representative Miller was the Chairman of the committee which regulates the state’s unemployment program.

“You have brought this to my attention,” Miller told CBS 21.

We interviewed him for the original story one year ago.

“I think it’s one of those things that, the public – after the story – expressed their outrage that such a thing could happen. So it’s very important that we really check and make sure we save every penny we can in system,” Miller explained.

If you would like to see the story, Inmates on Unemployment, we did last year that led to this change, you can just scroll down to the video below.

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Last February we exposed a flaw in the state’s unemployment system by interviewing a man who collected unemployment while behind bars. Now, the state has officially closed that loophole.

This change is estimated to save taxpayers $12 million every year. The former Chairman of the House Labor and Industry Committee which oversees the state’s unemployment system says our story helped lead to this change.

“The story helped to bring it to the forefront and get a lot of people talking about it,” commented Rep. Ron Miller, former Chairman of the Department of Labor and Industry.

Last year, we introduced you to a man who told us he did not have any guilt.

He cheated the system by collecting an unemployment check while behind bars. He told us how easy it was and we learned the state had no idea it was happening.

“You have brought this to my attention at this point in time,” Rep. Miller told us last year.

Representative Ron Miller, was the Chairman of the committee which regulates the state’s unemployment program.

“I will be talking to the appropriate people to see what we think could be done to put safeguards in to stop such a thing,” Miller commented.

The state followed through. CBS 21 learned the Department of Labor and Industry has partnered with the PA Justice Network to unveil a new cross-match system.

The system will identify county inmates who are collecting unemployment and stop the checks from being issued, saving taxpayers millions every year.

“I think it’s one of those things that, the public, after the story, expressed their outrage that such a thing could happen,” Rep. Miller stated. “So it’s very important that we really check and make sure we save every penny we can in system. Twelve million dollars is not insignificant.”

If you would like to see the story, Inmates on Unemployment, we did last year that led to this change, the entire video is below. Also, a follow-up story we did is attached as a video.



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Pennsylvania farm families highlight healthy food at Food Check-Out Week events

February 19, 2013, 3:48 pm
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Pennsylvania Farm Bureau (PFB) members are celebrating Food Check-Out Week (FCOW), which recognizes that growing and raising healthy food is a farmer’s top priority and focuses on helping consumers eat healthy meals, despite dealing with tight food budgets.

The theme of FCOW, February 17-23, is “Stretching Your Grocery Dollar with Healthy, Nutritious Food.”

The PFB has created a link on its website, where consumers can learn more about finding solutions to eating healthy and nutritious food on a tight budget.  To visit the website, go to : http://www.pfb.com/foodcheckout.

For the 15th consecutive year, PFB recognized FCOW by making deliveries of food, cash, gift cards and other contributions to Pennsylvania’s six Ronald McDonald Houses in Danville, Hershey, Philadelphia (two houses), Pittsburgh and Scranton. Pennsylvania farm families donated $61,340 to the five Ronald McDonald Houses in 2013.

Pennsylvania farmers have collected more than $838,540 in total donations since the FCOW program was initiated by PFB’s State Women’s Leadership Committee in 1998.

The Ronald McDonald Houses provide a home away from home for families with seriously ill children receiving medical treatment at area hospitals.


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DEP awards 106 grants to protect, improve watersheds in 40 Counties

February 19, 2013, 4:08 pm
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The Department of Environmental Protection announced Tuesday, that it will invest more than $18.7 million in watershed protection projects intended to improve watersheds, stormwater runoff, acid mine drainage and educational programs, among other environmental efforts.

This year, the Growing Greener program, which is funded by the Environmental Stewardship Fund, will award $13,225,594 for 78 projects around the state. Five additional projects, funded by the Surface Mining Conservation and Reclamation Grant, will receive $1,185,588. Two additional grants, totaling $252,400, are funded by the Acid Mine Drainage Set-aside program.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Section 319 Nonpoint Source Management Program, which was created through the federal Clean Water Act to help reduce water pollution from nonpoint sources, is funding 21 additional projects, which total $4,062,368.

These projects will reduce nonpoint source pollution in watersheds where streams are impaired by implementing agricultural and stormwater best-management practices; developing, repairing or installing passive systems to treat abandoned mine drainage; and supporting the establishment of riparian buffers, among other objectives.

One of the Growing Greener program’s goals to invest in projects that protect watersheds from impairment due to nonpoint source pollution or those that will restore damaged waterways. Some examples of priority areas are restoration activities to reduce pollutant load in impaired watersheds for which total maximum daily loads have been developed; projects in priority watersheds that would reduce the source of impairment; and priority activities that lead to water quality restoration and protection.

For more information about Growing Greener or to see the complete list of grant recipients, email GrowingGreener@pa.gov; call 717-705-4500; or visit DEP’s website at www.dep.state.pa.us, keyword: Growing Greener.

Local organizations awarded grants by County:

Adams

Adams County Conservation District, Beaverdam Creek Watershed, $31,500

Berks

Partnership for the Delaware Estuary Inc., Maiden Creek and Tulpehocken Watersheds, $23,885

Dauphin

Dauphin County Conservation District, Little Wiconisco Watershed, $210,179

Lancaster

City of Lancaster, Lancaster City green infrastructure, $379,457

Cocalico Creek Watershed Association, Little Cocalico Creek, $30,000

Conservation Foundation of Lancaster County, Chesapeake Bay Watershed, $12,387

Donegal Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Conowingo Creek, $216,200

Save Speedwell, Speedwell Forge Lake, $432,509

Stroud Water Research Center Inc., Lancaster County impaired streams, $369,245


Lebanon

Jonestown Borough, Jonestown Borough stormwater management, $99,271


Northumberland

Northumberland County Conservation District, Schwaben Creek and Hallowing Run, $356,000

Perry

Marysville Borough, Marysville Borough stormwater management, $18,100

Schuylkill

Schuylkill County Conservation District, Good Spring Creek, $151,022

Schuylkill Conservation District, Oak Hill Borehole and West Creek, $129,904

Schuylkill Headwaters Association Inc., Schuylkill River, $69,254


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Police looking for two males who stole $200 worth of items from Walmart

February 19, 2013, 4:58 pm
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The Silver Spring Township Police Department is looking for information on two white males who stole over $200 worth of items from Walmart.

One of the suspects was confronted by a store clerk and fled on foot.  The other suspect walked out of the store with the items.

Police say the suspects possibly left the scene in a silver Toyota SUV.

If you have any information, call the Silver Spring Police at 717-697-0607.
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UPDATE(2): Section of Cameron Street closed due to water main break

February 19, 2013, 5:42 pm
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UPDATE:

CBS 21 has learned that officials on the scene of the water leak are taking few precautions during the overnight hours.

The break is on Cameron Street between Herr and Market Streets.

There is not a giant hole in the ground and water has been turned off in the area, so icing is not a major concern.

Crews will start work at 7 a.m. in the morning to fix the water main break.

Construction crews believe there will be almost 15 layers of concrete to go through until they can get to the damaged section of the pipe, which is at least 12 feet long.
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Several blocks along Cameron Street in Harrisburg are closed because of a major water main break.

Crews have turned off the water in the area to repair the break.  However, it should not affect water usage in homes or businesses in the area. 

Crews on scene tell us they will be working continuing into tomorrow to fix the problem.

We have a crew on scene, and will update with more information.
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Man 'cries wolf'; takes over 50 rides in ambulance with no medical problems

February 19, 2013, 6:47 pm
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Good Samaritan Hospital fell victim once again to a Lebanon resident who "cried wolf" (called for help, but didn't need it).

Over the past few months, William Trostle IV of Lebanon, has called for an ambulance more than 50 times when he didn't need it.

With the most recent call, on February 16th, crews were called to Trostle's home in the 800 Block of Crowell Street for a person who was having trouble breathing.

When crews arrived at the house, Trostle refused to answer the door and denied medical issues. He then told EMS he did need taken to Good Samaritan.

After arriving at Good Samaritan, Trostle asked for a sandwich and a room with a TV.  But when officials at the hospital denied his request, he told them he didn't actually have a medical issue and refused treatment.

Officials asked Trostle to leave the hospital, but he refused. 

Police say Trostle, called for an ambulance over 50 times in the past few months, to take him to Good Samaritan.  All 50 calls were deemed unecessary for treatment.

If you tell a hospital, like Good Samaritan that you need help, they'll help you, legally they have to.  Bill Mulligan, from Good Samaritan says they respond to all calls.  "It's important that we do that for legal standards. But we also feel that's our role as a community hospital to make sure we are here for patients that are having emergencies."

Another Lebanon resident, Darryl Kramer was at Good Samaritan recently, but unlike Trostle he really needed the care. He was shocked that Trostle would call the ambulance when he didn't need it.  "There could have been a really dire emergency, but they've gotta play around with some guy ordering a sandwich.  Basically he's too darn lazy to get off his butt to get a job and buy it himself."

We went to William Trostle's address to see if he could explain his actions, but we got no answer.

"In this case, where somebody's basically wasting time, it is unfortunate that those resources are going to that person instead of going where they really need to be helping people."

Mulligan says people who make calls like this often don't pay for it.  "They often don't pay the hospital, and then the hospital basically has to write off the cost."

But the amount they write off is a staggering number.  "Last year we did $20 million in charitable and uncompensated care."
 
Trostle was charged with three misdemeanors.  Lebanon Police and Good Samaritan hope that's enough to keep this from happening again.
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Blaze engulfs Lancaster County building

February 20, 2013, 1:39 am
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Officials in Lancaster County were called back to a farm after a fire rekindled overnight.

Dispatchers say flames first broke out yesterday afternoon in the 3800 block of the Oregon Pike in West Earl Township.

We're told the fire was at a shop on private property.

Crews cleared, but had to return just after one this morning for a two alarm blaze.

Dispatchers say the shop was engulfed in flames.

Fortunately, no one was hurt.

No word yet on a cause.


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Dauphin County offers interest-free grace period for property owners

February 20, 2013, 5:43 am
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Dauphin County’s Tax Claim Bureau is offering an interest-free grace period to all property owners with 2012 delinquent real property taxes.

Approximately 11,000 first-class letters were mailed on February 15 to property owners with unpaid 2012 real property taxes. The letter includes a breakdown of taxes owed, penalties and costs for properties. The county will waive the interest on county, municipal and school claims if the 2012 taxes are paid in full before March 29, 2013 to give property owners an added incentive to pay the debt.

“In some cases, property owners misplace their tax bills or mistakenly assume their mortgage company already paid their taxes,” said Commissioner George P. Hartwick, III, who oversees the bureau. “This interest-free grace period gives property owners one last opportunity to pay their taxes.”

“We hope to resolve at least 20 percent of claims, and, as a result, reduce the number of certified-mail notices that must be sent to property owners who owe taxes,” said Commissioner Jeff Haste.

“Our goal is to make the tax-paying process easier for those who are trying to make payments and get back on their feet,” added Commissioner Mike Pries.

For questions about the interest-free grace period or delinquent property taxes contact the county’s Tax Claim Bureau at 717-780-6125.


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Comcast to firearms shops: Your money’s no good here

February 20, 2013, 6:15 am
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Courtesy CBSDetroit:
By Christy Strawser
CBS Detroit Managing Editor

DETROIT (CBS Detroit) Williams Gun Sight and Outfitters in Davison, Mich., said they learned their money’s no good with Comcast when the cable giant rejected their advertising because they no longer accept ads promoting firearms or fireworks.

The change in policy happened February 8 after a deal that gave Comcast controlling interest in NBC Universal, which previously had a policy of not accepting firearms ads.

But Comcast is the monopoly cable provider in two-thirds of the markets in the country, said John Kupiec, president of the advertising agency Canadian American Corp., so their policy now affects every cable channel and major network. And it affects major advertisers including Cabela’s and Walmart.

“The next step is we want to get the lawmakers on Capitol Hill to review the monopolistic rights this company (Comcast) currently enjoys as the largest cable provider in the United States,” Kupiec said, adding as a last resort, his firm will consider legal action.

Kupiec first discovered the firearms ad ban when he tried to place an ad for Williams Gun Sight, and was told by Comcast they’ll no longer air them.

“Comcast Spotlight has decided it will not accept new advertising for firearms or weapons moving forward,” the company said in a press statement. “This policy aligns us with the guidelines in place at many media organizations.”

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Ghost writer: New app to keep you tweeting after death

February 20, 2013, 7:41 am
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Courtesy RT.com:
A new application will soon allow users to keep posting Twitter updates from beyond the grave, independently using intricate knowledge of your online character to create a virtual continuation of your personality after you die.

­“When your heart stops beating, you'll keep tweeting,” says the new application’s tagline.

‘LivesOn’ will let users pursue ‘life after death’ on their social media profiles, letting the deceased communicate with loved ones. LivesOn will keep posting after you kick the bucket, following the example of the DeadSocial platform.

Due to be launched in March, the LivesOn application will keep tweeting after you pass on. The service will utilize advanced analysis of your main Twitter feed, to carefully select appropriate subjects, likes, or articles that would have been likely to interest you, posting them on your behalf for your friends to read.

Pre-existing applications so far have only allowed users to schedule prepared updates.

Users of LivesOn can even nominate an ‘executor’ to their LivesOn will, who will decide whether to keep the account ‘live’.

A similar application was recently seen in a UK television program named Black Mirror, which showed a bereaved woman speaking to a virtually-constructed version of her deceased husband, which was built from his previous online communications, despite him not having laid any plans to maintain social media communications after his death.

The application is cut from the same cloth as one launched last April, named DeadSocial, and another Israeli application which was launched in January 2102, named If I Die. However, whereas LivesOn will base its postings on pre-existing models of your behavior, these currently-active applications allow their deceased users to send messages from beyond the grave to private Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts


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Senator tells McCord flat budget 'the new up'

February 20, 2013, 8:07 am
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HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — State Treasurer Rob McCord says he needs more money to make more money for state government.

At a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing Wednesday, McCord said Republican Gov. Tom Corbett's proposal to flat-line the treasury's $32 million operations budget is actually a cut because of rising personnel costs.

McCord, a Democrat, says his department has produced hundreds of millions of dollars for the state through savvy investments, stepped-up collections and reduced payment errors. McCord says he needs a nearly 25 percent increase to build on that record.

But Sen. Mike Brubaker, a Lancaster County Republican, told McCord he needs to find more creative solutions. As he put it, in this economy, "a flat-line budget is the new up."

 

©2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Three suspected Internet predators arrested

February 20, 2013, 9:57 am
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The Office of Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit announced the arrest of three men, who are accused of using the Internet to sexually proposition what they believed were underage girls.  In three separate incidents, the men allegedly traveled to locations in Pennsylvania in order to meet the “girls” for sex.

“Our Child Predator Unit continues to aggressively investigate and prosecute those who commit heinous acts against our kids,” said Kane. “Criminals, who intend to contact children over the Internet for indecent purposes, should plan on spending time in jail.”

 The defendants are identified as follows:

• Robert Stewart, 61, 12 Dragoon St., Reisterstown (Baltimore County), MD;

• Joshua Martin, 32, 124 Elizabeth Court, Wrightsville (York County), PA; and

• Dennis Belles, 45, 145 W. Main St., Evans City (Butler County), PA.

Stewart

The charges state that Stewart, who works as a photographer for Lifetouch Photography – a company that photographs students at schools and sporting events – used a popular Internet chat room to contact a “girl,” who was an undercover agent.

According to the criminal complaint, Stewart questioned the “girl” about her experience with boys, and discussed in graphic detail the sex acts he wished to perform with her.

After traveling from Maryland to York County, PA in order to meet what he believed was a 13-year old girl for sex, Stewart was arrested on Friday, Feb. 15, 2013.

Stewart is charged with two counts of unlawful contact with a minor and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.  Stewart was preliminarily arraigned in York County’s “Central Booking,” and will be prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Christopher Jones of the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit.  

The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General extended its thanks to Springettsbury Township Police Department in York, PA for their assistance with the investigation.

Martin

According to the criminal complaint, Martin used an online chat room to engage in multiple conversations with what he believed was a teenage girl.  During these conversations, Martin allegedly discussed in graphic detail the sex acts he wished to perform with the girl, and proposed meeting at a hotel for the purpose of sex.

Martin was taken into custody on Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2013 after he arrived at a predetermined meeting location in Lancaster County to meet what he believed was a 14-year old girl.

Martin is charged with four counts of unlawful contact with a minor and one count of criminal use of a communication facility. He was preliminarily arraigned before Lancaster Magisterial District Judge Cheryl Hartman.  A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013 at 9:00 a.m. before Magisterial District Judge Mary Mongiovi Sponaugle.

The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General thanked the Manheim Township Police Department in Lancaster County, PA for their assistance with the investigation.

Belles

According to the criminal complaint, Belles used an online forum to contact an undercover agent, who was using the online identity of a single mother of a 13-year-old girl.

According to the criminal complaint, Belles contacted what he believed to be the woman's daughter and discussed in graphic detail the sex acts he wished to perform when they met.

Belles was arrested on Sunday, February 10 by agents from the Child Predator Unit, who were assisted by officers from the Cranberry Township Police Department.

He was preliminarily arraigned before Cranberry Township Magisterial District Judge Kovach, and transferred to Butler County Prison in lieu of $100,000 cash bond.

Belles is charged with one count of unlawful contact with a minor related to sexual offenses; one count of criminal attempt/involuntary deviate sexual intercourse; one count of criminal use of a communication facility; one count of unlawful contact with a minor (obscene and other sexual material and performances); and one count of criminal attempt/indecent assault.

The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General thanked the Cranberry Township and Evans City Police Departments for their assistance with the investigation.  The case will be prosecuted in Butler County, PA by Deputy Attorney General Anthony Marmo of the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Child Predator Unit.

“I encourage parents to discuss online safety, and to also emphasize that children should always tell a trusted adult if someone tries to use the Internet to sexually proposition them, send them graphic photos and videos or attempt to arrange a face-to-face meeting,” said Kane.

To report a suspected Internet predator, please call 800-385-1044 or visit www.attorneygeneral.gov.

 

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Senate panel rolls out welcome mat for AG Kane

February 20, 2013, 10:40 am
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HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The powerful Senate Appropriations Committee is rolling out the welcome mat for Pennsylvania's new chief legal officer.

Attorney General Kathleen Kane fielded questions for nearly two hours Wednesday on subjects as diverse as child predators, drug traffickers, consumer protection and the proposed Pennsylvania Lottery management contract that she blocked with a legal opinion.

Fellow Democrats on the panel warmly pledged their support, while Republicans seemed satisfied with her answers to questions about the opinion that at least temporarily derailed Gov. Tom Corbett's plan to hand over lottery management to a British firm.

Kane's office is seeking an additional $12 million over the flat funding Corbett has budgeted for the year that starts July 1. She says she needs at least half that much just to compensate for increased personnel costs.

 

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DoD set to announce furlough plan

February 20, 2013, 10:46 am
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Military.com:
Stars and Stripes| by Chris Carroll

WASHINGTON -- The Defense Department intends to notify Congress on Wednesday of a plan to furlough nearly 800,000 civilian employees one day each week beginning in April, a defense official said Tuesday.

Federal law requires the Pentagon to warn Congress of furloughs at least 45 days in advance, and other regulations require direct notification of employees at least 30 days in advance.

Cutting workdays and pay will happen if Congress does not find a way to avert budget cuts known as “sequestration,” which are scheduled to kick in March 1 and cut $500 billion out of the Pentagon budget over the coming decade. Military leaders have warned of constricted operations, reduced weapons buys and eventually, reduced end strength for the services.

For now, however, military troops are spared a direct impact of sequestration on their paychecks, and most civilian workers will be the first to bear the brunt.

Defense officials say the most likely scenario would be 22 days of furlough -- one day each week -- beginning in the last week of April and running through the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30.


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