Harrisburg arrests

Courtesy Jennifer Storm, who is on the distribution list. Where will they put them all?

NEWS INFORMATION FROM
THE OFFICE OF MAYOR STEPHEN R. REED
The City of Harrisburg
10 North Second Street
Harrisburg, PA 17101-1678 FOR IMMEDIATE USE
Contact: (717) 255.3040 25 July 2006
Fax: 255.3036

23 ADDITIONAL SUSPECTS ARRESTED ON
ROBBERY, BURGLARY& OTHER CHARGES

Harrisburg, PA – Mayor 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.



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Page Two – 23 ARRESTED

(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.



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Page Three – 23 ARRESTED

(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.



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Page Four – 23 ARRESTED

(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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NEWS INFORMATION FROM
THE OFFICE OF MAYOR STEPHEN R. REED
The City of Harrisburg
10 North Second Street
Harrisburg, PA 17101-1678 FOR IMMEDIATE USE
Contact: (717) 255.3040 21 July 2006
Fax: 255.3036

ARRESTS MADE IN SERIES OF CITY
ROBBERIES & HOME INVASIONS

Harrisburg, PA – Mayor Stephen R. Reed today announced that city police have arrested ten different individuals in connection with eight different robberies and home invasions that occurred over the past two months. The suspects include five adults and six juveniles, including two 14-year olds and a 15-year old.

Reed said intensive police investigations have been underway for a number of different home burglaries, invasions, cab driver robberies and muggings involving separate suspects in each. Most of the investigations remain open and ongoing and additional arrests and charges are expected.

- 19-year old Charles Bibbs, of the 2100 block of Moore Street, and a 17-year old Peffer Street resident have each been charged with Robbery, Conspiracy to Commit Robbery and Reckless Endangerment in connection with a robbery that occurred May 26 in the 2300 block of Logan Street. The pair, joined by two other suspects still being sought, robbed four people sitting on a porch and took a cellphone from one of the victims. None of the victims were injured in the robbery, during which the suspects fired several shots into the air.

- 20-year old Tasia Layton-Jackson, of the 6300 block of Ann Street in Susquehanna Twp., has been charged with one count each of Burglary, Robbery, Conspiracy to Commit Robbery and Conspiracy to Commit Burglary in connection with a June 30 home invasion in the 100 block of Summit Street. Layton-Jackson and three accomplices entered the home around 1:30 a.m. and tied up a male occupant before robbing he and a female occupant of cash, an unregistered hand- gun, cellphone and approximately 6 ounces of cocaine, which they later sold on the street. None of the victims were injured, and charges are pending against Layton-Jackson’s accomplices in the robbery, including 24-year old Bradley J. Jackson, of the 2200 block of Rudy Road, 24-year old Christopher J. Raye, of the 400 block of Muench Street, and Tyron T. Stewart, age 28, of the 1100 block of Mulberry Street.


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Page Two – CITY ROBBERY ARRESTS

- 18-year old Audury Davis, of the 2700 block of Green Street, has been charged with Receiving Stolen Property, in connection with a July 7 home invasion in the 2200 block of Brookwood Street, during which a small amount of cash, cellphones, jewelry and sneakers were stolen. The suspect was identified when he tried to sell the stolen jewelry at a local pawn shop. None of the victims in the robbery were injured, and police continue to look for an accomplice of Davis, who is yet to be identified. Additional charges are likely to be filed against Davis as well.

- 37-year old Sylvester Bitting, no current address, has been charged with Robbery and Conspiracy to Commit Robbery in connection with a July 11 home invasion in the 1500 block of S. 13th Street. Bitting and an accomplice entered the home shortly after 3 a.m. and rousted two female occupants, taking a cellphone and sneakers from the residence. The victims were uninjured. The accomplice remains unidentified and at-large.

- Two city juveniles, one 14 years of age and another 15 years of age, have been charged with Robbery and Conspiracy to Engage in Robbery for their robbery of a cab driver near Kline Plaza on July 12. The pair were part of a trio of youth that climbed into the cab and stole a small amount of cash from the driver, who was not injured in the attack. Police continue to search for the third juvenile involved in the robbery.

- A 17-year old juvenile suspect of the 1500 block of Berryhill Street has been charged with single counts of Robbery and Conspiracy to Commit Robbery in connection with the attempted robbery of a 17-year old youth on July 12 near 19th and Brookwood Streets. The suspect, on probation for earlier crimes and wearing an ankle monitoring bracelet, along with two other juvenile suspects still being sought and also wearing ankle bracelets, were attempting to rob the youth when other witnesses passed by and stopped them and called police. Responding units saw the trio and were able to capture the suspect after a brief foot choice. His two juvenile accomplices have been identified and charges are pending against them as well.

- 28-year old Eric Lamont Ross, of the 400 block of Woodbine Street, has been charged with a single count of robbery in connection with the July 17 robbery of a Grantville woman. The victim was leaving a friend’s house in the 2000 block of Penn Street when Ross jumped into her vehicle and stole her purse from the front seat. Ross got away with the purse and her cellphone.


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Page Three – CITY ROBBERY ARRESTS

- A 14-year old suspect has been charged with a single count of Theft by Unlawful Taking in connection with the purse snatching from a cab driver in the 1200 block of S. 13th Street on July 19. The suspect, a Hall Manor resident, has also been charged in connection with the July 12 robbery of a cabdriver at Kline Plaza. Additional charges are pending against his accomplices in the case, who are likely the same as those sought or already charged in connection with the Kline Village robbery, and the trio may also be responsible for a series of other recent cab driver robberies on Allison Hill.

Reed said that even though arrests have been made in these cases, many additional suspects are expected to face charges in the coming weeks, and additional robberies, home invasions and other crimes are likely to be solved as more arrests are made. Police continue to investigate all of the cases and are making substantial headway in tying different crimes together with those so far arrested.

“In virtually every instance,” said Mayor Reed, “those arrested have extensive prior criminal histories, yet they remain on our streets to prey upon the innocent. We will pursue the strongest possible penalties against all.”

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