Witnesses Testify At Richard Como’s Preliminary Hearing

WEST CHESTER, PA – The criminal case against former Coatesville Area School District Superintendent Richard Como opened a new chapter Friday in a lengthy preliminary hearing at the Chester County Justice Center.

The former superintendent, who abruptly retired at the start of the 2013 school year amid the discovery of racist and sexist text message exchanges with the district’s athletic director, faces a slew of felony theft charges resulting from a nearly yearlong grand jury investigation that concluded late last year.

On Friday prosecutors from the Chester County District Attorney’s Office called several witnesses in an effort to put forward enough evidence to send the case to trial.

Como is accused of defrauding the district out of thousands of dollars during his time as superintendent. While a large portion of the alleged thefts revolve around the purchase of championship football rings, many of the charges stem from a series of alleged smaller thefts that plagued the district for years.

Read more:

http://www.dailylocal.com/general-news/20150227/witnesses-testify-at-richard-comos-preliminary-hearing

Canton Man’s Bail At $1.5 Million After Police Chase

Map of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, USA with township and municipal bondaries. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

TROY, PA – A Canton man was jailed in lieu of $1.5 million bail after he fled from police and crashed his truck Saturday in Canton, according to Magisterial District Judge Jonathan Wilcox of Troy.

Wilcox said John Edward Gundaker, 44, of West Main Street, Canton, had a preliminary arraignment at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, and was unable to post bail. Gundaker faces a preliminary hearing at 1 p.m. May 7 before Wilcox.

According to court papers, Gundaker is charged with fleeing or attempting to elude officer, a felony of the third degree. In addition, he is charged with resisting arrest, a misdemeanor of the second degree; simple assault – attempt, a misdemeanor of the second degree; and two summary counts of reckless driving. In addition, he is charged with a violation of “driving vehicle at safe speed,” a summary offense; and a disorderly conduct offense.

According to an affidavit, Canton police officer Joshua Heckman was contacted by the Bradford County Emergency Operations Center (EOC), and was asked to respond to a domestic disturbance at Gundaker’s apartment. The EOC reported that the incident was called in by a man, who was on the phone at the time with the victim in the incident, Desiree Rios, no age or address given, when she was at Gundaker’s apartment and a fight broke out between Rios and Gundaker.

Read more: http://thedailyreview.com/news/man-s-bail-at-1-5-million-after-police-chase-1.1676619

Former Amity Cop Drops Attempt To Have Shoplifting Charges Dismissed

Map of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States with township and municipal boundaries (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

NORRISTOWN, PA — A former Berks County police officer accused of shoplifting more than $300 in groceries from a West Pottsgrove store has withdrawn his request for a judicial review and dismissal of the charges.

“At this stage, it is being withdrawn without prejudice,” Montgomery County Judge Steven T. O’Neill said Tuesday, referring to the previous request for dismissal made by former Amity Township Police Officer Glenn James Oesterling, who faces charges of retail theft and receiving stolen property in connection with alleged shoplifting incidents at the Upland Square Giant store in June 2013.

In a habeas corpus petition filed late last year, defense lawyer Adam Sager, on behalf of Oesterling, asked a judge to dismiss the charges and to re-examine the previous decision by a district court judge, who found prosecutors presented sufficient evidence, or “a prima facie case,” at a preliminary hearing to move the case to trial. Judge O’Neill was slated to hold a hearing on that request on Tuesday but Oesterling, a 12-year veteran corporal of the police force who was fired by Amity Township supervisors last year, left the courthouse without a resolution to his case.

“After a discussion with my client, while we think that we have very good defenses, we do concede that the court would probably find that there was a prima facie case established by the commonwealth if we went through with the habeas corpus petition. Therefore, we voluntarily, and without prejudice, withdrew the habeas petition,” Sager explained.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/general-news/20140408/former-amity-cop-drops-attempt-to-have-shoplifting-charges-dismissed

Teen Charged As Adult With Attempted Abduction And Rape In Lansdale Park Headed For Trial

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

LANSDALE, PA — A 16-year-old El Salvadoran citizen charged as an adult with the attempted knifepoint abduction and rape of a woman in front of her three young children at a Lansdale park earlier this month waived his preliminary hearing Tuesday, while prosecutors added another charge to the long list of criminal counts he’s facing and Lansdale detectives revealed more information about the teen.

Handcuffed, clad in a red prison jumpsuit and wearing a sullen expression, Gerson Portillo-Guardado was led by Lansdale police into District Judge Harold Borek’s Lansdale court early Tuesday morning, and after conferring briefly with Ayla O’Brien, his public defender, with the help of a translator — as he does not speak English, police said — Portillo-Guardado waived all charges filed against him for trial in connection with the alleged Jan. 13 incident.

Just prior to the hearing, the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office charged Portillo-Guardado with felony attempted kidnapping on top of the 10 charges already filed against him at his Jan. 13 preliminary arraignment — a list that includes felony attempted rape and felony attempted sexual assault, as well as misdemeanor charges of simple assault, unlawful restraint, recklessly endangering another person, disorderly conduct and more.

Read more: http://www.timesherald.com/general-news/20140128/teen-charged-as-adult-with-attempted-abduction-and-rape-in-lansdale-park-headed-for-trial

Exeter Shop Owners Face Charges Again

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Luzerne County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

State prosecutors have re-filed charges against an Exeter head shop and its owners two months after a judge threw out a case alleging they were illegally selling synthetic marijuana.

Alfonse Richard Palaima, 65, and his wife, Sharleen Palaima, 62, both of 197 Division St., Hughestown, are charged with running a corrupt organization, conspiring to distribute a controlled substance, dealing with the proceeds of illegal activities and drug distribution.

Their business, Magikal Gardens at 1174 Wyoming Ave., Exeter, is also charged criminally with drug distribution and dealing in the proceeds of illegal activities.

All three were previously charged with similar offenses, but Magisterial District Judge Joseph J. Carmody dismissed all counts following a preliminary hearing Oct. 2.

Read more: http://citizensvoice.com/news/exeter-shop-owners-face-charges-again-1.1598022

Pittsburgh School Principal Held For Trial On Lewdness Charge

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Allegheny County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The suspended principal of Pittsburgh Brookline K-8 accused of exposing himself at a McCandless gym was held for court Wednesday on several charges.

But the district judge presiding over the preliminary hearing for Alfonzo DeIuliis dismissed three charges, including what his attorney called the “most serious” one.

Mr. DeIuliis, 37, of Hampton was ordered to stand trial on charges of indecent exposure, open lewdness, corruption of minors and unlawful contact with a minor and harassment involving one alleged victim, 17, at a hearing before District Judge William K. Wagner.

Charges of indecent exposure and open lewdness for a second alleged victim were held for court.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-north/pittsburgh-school-principal-held-for-trial-on-lewdness-charge-706848/#ixzz2hL0MF0HM

More Lewdness Charges Filed Against Suspended Pittsburgh Principal

Map of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States with township and municipal boundaries (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

New charges were added today against the principal of Pittsburgh Brookline K-8 accused last week of exposing himself in a McCandless gym.

Alfonzo DeIuliis, 37, of Hampton, was charged today with a count each of open lewdness and indecent exposure, which follows similar charges filed last week by McCandless police.

Defense attorney Phil DiLucente said his client had no comment, but that his legal team “vehemently” believes Mr. DeIuliis did nothing wrong.

“We will fight these charges — every single one of them,” Mr. DiLucente said outside District Judge William K. Wagner’s office, where a preliminary hearing on the first set on charges was scheduled for this morning.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-city/more-ledbess-charges-filed-against-pittsburgh-principal-701940/#ixzz2dyzPCD2a

1 Pottstown Murder Suspect To Stand Trial, 1 Has Hearing Continued

LOWER POTTSGROVE TOWNSHIP — The two suspects in a late-night shooting outside a North Charlotte Street bar on March 22 were in court again on Friday morning and each of their cases moved closer to trial.

Maurice Andrews Jr., 19, of Pottstown, and Michael Hinton, 26, of Norristown, are charged with murder in the first-, second- and third-degree for the death of Victor Enrique Bonilla Baez, also known as Vincent Taylor.

Andrews appeared in District Judge Edward C. Kropp Sr.’s courtroom for the second time at 10 a.m. for his preliminary hearing, after it had been continued once.  The hearing was continued again and rescheduled for May 31 at 10 a.m. in the same courtroom.

At least 15 members of Andrews’ family and friends turned out for the hearing and were visibly frustrated when the hearing had been continued.

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130517/NEWS01/130519334/1-pottstown-murder-suspect-to-stand-trial-1-has-hearing-continued#full_story

Man Charged With Assaulting, Torturing Elderly Sisters Waives Hearing

A 22-year-old man will be tried for binding, beating and torturing three elderly Mennonite sisters last year in what police called a case of “ethnic intimidation.”

Dereck Taylor Holt and his attorney, Alan Goldberg, waived a preliminary hearing Tuesday morning on numerous offenses, including felony aggravated assault, robbery, unlawful restraint and reckless endangerment.

In turn, District Judge Tony Russell ordered Holt to be tried on 23 charges related to the Dec. 14 incident in Clay Township.

Holt, locked up on $1 million bail since his arrest Dec. 16, appeared in the Ephrata courtroom only to sign paperwork.  He said nothing.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/811494_Man-charged-with-assaulting–torturing-elderly-sisters-waives-hearing.html#ixzz2K3oNvcKr