SCRANTON — To stay relevant, two independent cornerstone shops at the Marketplace at Steamtown are moving out.

Cronin’s Irish Cottage and La Ti Da, a personalized gift shop, will depart when their leases end Dec. 31.

Aside from the obvious shifts in retail trends toward big box and e-commerce, an atmosphere that leans more than ever toward professional and medical offices at Scranton’s former mall led to a drop in business, proprietors at both shops said.

They were some of the original Steamtown vendors after the mall opened in 1993.

“They’re making the decision that is right for their business but unfortunate for us because they’ve been long standing tenants and we love them as individuals,” said Marketplace Manager Jenn Warnetsky.

Both businesses will live on, pushing more resources online and capitalizing on their strengths and reputations.

La Ti Da is finalizing plans for a workshop in the city’s Green Ridge section, owner Diane Kahanowitz said where they’ll make their personalized gifts including their best selling piggy banks as well as drink tumblers and Easter baskets. Kahanowitz built a thriving business online using the artisan’s marketplace Etsy.com.

“I thank God that my children bullyragged me a couple years ago to do it,” she said. “Every year my business doubles. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Cronin’s owner Breeda Cronin Holmes took over the Irish import clothing and gift shop two years ago when her mother, co-founder Nora Cronin, died. Started in 1985 on Keyser Avenue, the shop gave her mom and late father John Cronin a reason to stay in Scranton.

Like Kahanowitz, Holmes is pushing more product using the internet. But because shoppers can find the same goods at bigger online retailers, she’s focusing on her own personal brand — one that includes her two young kids and husband — as a family business owner who embraces her Irish roots.

She’s planned things like pop-up shops, Irish entertainment acts and traveled the country to vendor markets, and wants do more similar events.

“Being open seven days a week in a place that’s not necessarily retail anymore kind of stops your ability to do those things,” she said.

Two prime first-floor spots are going vacant, however, Marketplace owner John Basalyga’s ultimate vision to revive the old mall moves forward.

Earlier this year, Geisinger and the marketplace announced it would lease a massive amount of space, about 83,000 square feet, on both levels for a sports medicine and musculoskeletal center.

On Monday, plastic sheeting hung around a former first-floor shop near Boscov’s. Sounds of workers leaked through. Construction is underway for new Social Security offices. Basalyga won the 15-year full term lease with the federal agency earlier this year.

Contact the writer: joconnell@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9131; @jon_oc on Twitter

SCRANTON

One lucky shopper at a Scranton supermarket came into a bit of a windfall recently after matching all five numbers drawn in a lottery game, the Pennsylvania Lottery said.

The winning Treasure Hunt ticket with Thursday’s winning numbers, 03-05-09-21-23, was sold at Gerrity’s Supermarket, 702 S. Main Ave. The ticket is worth $34,333.50 because two other tickets in Centre and Northampton Counties also hit the numbers, splitting the $103,000.50 jackpot three-ways.

Prizes must be claimed and tickets validated before the lottery identifies winners.

Treasure Hunt winners have one year from the drawing date to claim their prize.

—JOSEPH KOHUT

The homicide trial for three people charged with killing a confidential informant has been postponed.

Lackawanna County Judge James Gibbons today granted a motion filed by attorneys for one of the defendants, Cornelius Mapson, who is facing the death penalty if convicted of first-degree murder for the April 2018 death of Nina Gatto.

The trial was set to begin Jan. 6. No new date has been set.

Mapson, 34; Kevin Weeks, 26; and Melinda Palermo, 39, are charged with killing Gatto inside her Scranton apartment to stop her from testifying against Mapson in a drug case. Police said the trio first tried to inject Gatto with fentanyl in the hopes it would cause a fatal overdose. When that did not work, they suffocated her by placing a bag over her head.

Lackawanna County District Attorney Mark Powell previously said he is seeking a death sentence for Mapson because he was the mastermind of the crime. Powell is not seeking a death sentence for Weeks or Palermo.

In death penalty cases, a jury must first determine a defendant’s guilt. If found guilty of first-degree murder, the case will proceed to the death penalty phase, in which jurors weigh aggravating factors — those that make a crime more heinous — against mitigating factors — those that lessen a defendant’s culpability.

Mapson’s attorneys were granted permission to hire a mitigation expert to gather evidence to present at the death penalty phase, should it occur. The attorneys sought to postpone the trial to give the expert more time to interview people and gather documents.

Contact the writer: tbesecker@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9137; @tmbeseckerTT on Twitter

SCRANTON — City business privilege and mercantile tax rates will remain unchanged in 2020 despite plans to replace the levies with a new payroll tax.

City council introduced a pair of ordinances today that leave the business privilege and mercantile tax rates at 1 mill, with a mill being a $1 tax on every $1,000 of gross revenues. Among other features, the legislation would enable Scranton to collect those taxes in the event the payroll tax swap falls through.

The ordinances were part of a slate of taxing legislation council introduced with 3-0 votes. Councilmen Bill Gaughan and Kyle Donahue were absent.

An element of Scranton’s Act 47 recovery plan, the city will petition Lackawanna County Court to allow the switch from the business privilege/mercantile taxes to an arguably easier to collect tax on a percentage of a business’s total payroll. Advocates of the change argue the payroll tax is more fair because it would be spread among more businesses, including banks and manufacturers not required to pay business privilege/mercantile taxes.

A payroll tax would be collected quarterly, but business privilege/mercantile taxes levied in 2019 won’t be collected until April 15. The ordinances council introduced authorize collections of those revenues next year, officials said.

By law, when switching from business privilege/mercantile taxes to a payroll tax, the levies cannot overlap. Mayor Wayne Evans’ proposed 2020 city budget anticipates starting payroll tax collections in the third quarter of 2020, though city Business Administrator David Bulzoni said the city wouldn’t receive that revenue until the fourth quarter of next year.

The Scranton School District is also mulling the move to a payroll tax. City voters overwhelmingly approved a ballot referendum endorsing the district’s switch to a payroll tax last month.

Unlike the city, the district doesn’t require court approval for the payroll tax swap.

An official hearing date has not been set, but it seems unlikely the county court would reject the city’s petition for a payroll tax, city officials have said.

The other taxing legislation council introduced Monday maintains the city’s current realty transfer and earned income tax rates for 2020 and sets next year’s property tax millage rates, which remain unchanged at 232.521 on land and 50.564 on buildings.

Also Monday, council Solicitor Amil Minora submitted his letter of resignation effective Jan. 6, the same day Mayor-elect Paige Cognetti and a new council will be sworn in.

Minora, who is wrapping up his second stint as council solicitor, has held that post for the past six years. He previously served as both an administration and council solicitor for the city.

Council will accept letters of interest/resumes from attorneys seeking the $46,000 per year job until Dec. 13. Applicants must live in the city.

Council will hold a public caucus Wednesday with members of Evans’ administration to discuss the proposed 2020 budget. The caucus begins at 4 p.m. at City Hall.

Contact the writer:
jhorvath@timesshamrock.com;
570-348-9141;
@jhorvathTT on Twitter

In other business, council:

n Introduced legislation approving the transfer of a restaurant liquor license formerly used at J.J. Bridjes in South Abington Twp. to Grappa LLC for use at 100 N. Main Ave., Scranton. A public hearing on the matter will take place Monday in council’s City Hall chambers, beginning at 5:45 p.m.

n Introduced a pair of resolutions to apply for grant funding through the state Department of Community and Economic Development Small Water and Sewer Program. The city will likely apply for $418,774 to install new inlets and larger pipes to convey runoff on Briggs Street to Keyser Creek, and $179,575 to replace the existing storm arch structure with a new concrete arch structure on Bloom Avenue.

n Advanced legislation authorizing the city to obtain a short-term loan called a tax anticipation note, which would provide cash flow early in the year before tax revenues come in. The 2020 TAN would be for up to $12.75 million.

n Approved a resolution accepting a $1,000 donation from Briden American to the Scranton Police Department Special Operations Group.

n Approved legislation accepting the recommendation of the city’s Historical Architecture Review Board and approving a certificate of appropriateness for developer Charles Jefferson, who plans alterations and renovations to the former Stoehr & Fister Building at 200 Adams Ave. The building served as the Lackawanna County Administration Building until the county relocated to the former Globe store

— JEFF HORVATH

As the region’s first big snowstorm loomed, Jim Flynn sold about one-third of his shop’s supply of snowblowers in a matter of days.

“If you have a snowy winter, absolutely it is the busiest time for me. If you don’t have a snowy winter, then we rely on the weathermen to create the hysteria,” the owner of F&S Supply Co. Inc. said with a laugh.

The South Abington Twp. shop sold about 40 of its 125 or so snowblowers in the span of four days leading up to the Sunday’s storm, Flynn said. F&S Supply assembles snowblowers for customers and does free same-day delivery to make things easier, but everyone still procrastinates, he said.

“Everybody waits until the last minute, then there is a slight hysteria when it snows,” Flynn said. “It’s something that nobody plans for.”

All in all, the storm dumped between 2 inches to 5 ½ inches and up to 0.1 inches of ice on the area, said AccuWeather senior meteorologist Carl Erickson.

The winter weather started around 10 a.m. Sunday and was “pretty continuous” until 3 to 4 p.m. today, he said. After about 12 hours of freezing rain, the snow began.

The ice and snow kept area residents busy with snowblowers and shovels. Schools and universities around the area closed and officials put travel restrictions in place on I-80, I-81, I-84, I-380 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike for most of the day.

Sunday’s freezing rain made conditions especially challenging for crews, said Pennsylvania Department of Transportation spokesman James May. Freezing rain is the most difficult weather pattern to deal with because it washes away any pretreatment on the roads, he said.

Sunday was also one of the busiest travel days of the year. Because Thanksgiving was so late, it meant holiday traffic merged with increased truck traffic for online Christmas shopping, May said.

“We were hitting the Thanksgiving rush and the Christmas rush,” he said.

There is some good news, though. Erickson doesn’t foresee any serious snow storms in the near future. There could be some snow showers late tonight into Wednesday, but it would be less than an inch, he said.

“It’s quiet through the end of the week — even into next weekend,” he said.

However, untreated surfaces could get icy Tuesday night into Wednesday, Erickson said. Tuesday’s high of 36 degrees means anything leftover will melt, and temperatures in the upper 20s Tuesday night may lead to a refreeze, he said.

Contact the writer: flesnefsky@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5181; @flesnefskyTT on Twitter

A Scranton man died this afternoon after a tractor trailer struck him on Interstate 81 North, the county coroner said.

Hiroito Oshiro Yengle, 24, was driving north in the passing lane when his car spun out near the Scott Twp. exit, Lackawanna County Coroner Tim Rowland said. Oshiro Yengle then got out of his car and was hit by the tractor trailer, Rowland said. The crash occurred at about 1:30 p.m. near Exit 199, and the tractor trailer rolled over during the wreck. The road was covered in snow and slush, according to state police.

Oshiro Yengle’s passenger Donald L. Johnson, 40, of Scranton, suffered minor injuries but was not taken to the hospital, state police said.

The driver of the tractor trailer, Kwang Jae Kim, 29, of Fullerton, California, was not injured, but a passenger in the truck, Joseph Kim, 70, of Norwalk, California was taken to Geisinger Community Medical Center, according to state police. He was listed in fair condition there Monday night, said hospital spokesman Matt Mattei.

The left lane of the interstate was closed for about four hours as a result of the wreck.

The winter storm kept first responders busy, especially a slew of automobile accidents on Sunday and today, said David Hahn, Lackawanna County Emergency Services director.

“When the storm first hit, we were overwhelmed,” he said. “We handled it, but we were overwhelmed with crashes.”

The slick conditions affected the interstates the most, Hahn said.

“It’s like that (with) every storm,” he said. “As soon as the stuff starts freezing, that’s when we start getting calls.”

Today brought a steady stream of wrecks, but Sunday was worse, he said.

Aside from today’s fatal accident, Hahn wasn’t aware of any crashes that led to significant injuries over the course of the storm.

Contact the writer: flesnefsky@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5181; @flesnefskyTT on Twitter

Clarks Summit

A new feature is coming to the Abington Community Library in 2020.

Patrons who use the Libby app to check out and download e-books and audiobooks using their library card will be able to suspend a hold after it becomes available. If a reader suspends the hold after receiving a notification, they won’t lose their place in line; the items will go to the next person on the list. The option is currently available when checking out materials at the library.

— ROBERT TOMKAVAGE

rtomkavage@

timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9100 x5365;

@rtomkavage on Twitter

Scranton

City council last week approved resolutions to:

Reappoint Katherine J. Gilmartin of Capouse Avenue to the Historical Architecture Review Board, with her term expiring Oct. 11, 2022.

Reappoint Nell O’Boyle of Arthur Avenue to the Historical Architecture Review Board, with her term expiring Oct. 11, 2024.

Appoint Walter Barron of Luke Avenue to the Human Relations Commission, with his term expiring Oct. 11, 2024.

Reappoint Aja E. Wentum of Harrison Avenue to the Human Relations Commission, with his term expiring Aug. 24, 2023.

Appoint John J. Harrington Jr. of Lilac Lane to an unexpired term on the Scranton Parking Authority. The term expires June 1, 2022.

Appoint Todd Pousley of Rundle Street to the city Planning Commission, with his term expiring Dec. 31, 2022.

Appoint Michael S. Cummings of Crown Avenue to the Redevelopment Authority board, with his term expiring Oct. 1, 2024.

— JEFF HORVATH

jhorvath@

timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9141;

@jhorvathTT on Twitter

The Lackawanna County Reentry Task Force is collecting winter coats and hats for county prison inmates released during the winter months.

Organizers seek donations in both adult men’s and women’s sizes. Donated items can be used, but should be clean.

Donations may be dropped off at the county’s domestic relations office located on the third floor of the government center, 123 Wyoming Ave. They will also be accepted at PathStone, 329 Penn Ave., and the Outreach Center for Community Resources, 431 N. Seventh Ave. Donors should note the clothing is for the Reentry Task Force drive when they drop it off.

Clothes will be collected until Thursday and delivered to the prison Friday. If there are an overabundance of donations then some of the clothing will be donated to area shelters.

— JEFF HORVATH

jhorvath@

timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9141;

@jhorvathTT on Twitter

After receiving a donation of more than two tons of turkeys, the St. Francis of Assisi Kitchen will be able to continue providing weekly turkey dinners.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees District Council 87 donated $7,700 worth of turkeys and hams last week, said Robert Williams, director of the kitchen. The union purchased the meats from Schiff’s and had them delivered Nov. 25, Williams said. In total, the union had Schiff’s deliver 208 turkeys ranging from about 20 to 25 pounds, along with 167 hams, he said. Because the organization raised more funds than expected, it will give St. Francis an additional $500, Williams said.

“We do rely very heavily on donated food, both from individuals and grocery stores and restaurants,” he said.

The kitchen serves turkey dinners every Sunday and uses about 15 turkeys a week.

“These 208 turkeys ... they’ll take us through probably most of the year,” Williams said.

The meat was a substantial donation for the kitchen, Williams said, adding that Maid-Rite Specialty Foods recently donated 20,000 pounds of Salisbury steak.

“So between individuals, companies and this group, it really takes good care of us for the year,” Williams said.

To donate to St. Francis of Assisi Kitchen, call 570-342-5556, email kitchen@stfranciskitchen.org, or send a check to St. Francis Kitchen at 500 Penn Ave., Scranton, PA 18509.

— FRANK WILKES LESNEFSKY

flesnefsky@

timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9100 x5181;

@flesnefskyTT on Twitter

The Salvation Army is going high-tech in an effort to boost fundraising this holiday season.

Instead of digging through your pockets for loose change, donations may be made to the Red Kettle campaign on your smartphone using Apple Pay or Google Pay.

“We hope it can be a new, innovative way for people to continue to support the Salvation Army and what it does,” Maj. Bob Schmig said.

Donations to the Salvation Army of Scranton dropped in recent years because of several factors, including the closing of the Kmart locations in Dickson City and Moosic, Schmig said. After bringing in about $170,000 in 2016, the total sunk to $132,000 and only rose slightly to $134,000 last year.

“Our goal is to get back closer to $170,000

,” Schmig said. “It sustains us all year, that’s why it’s so important.”

The donations help local families in a variety of ways, including with heating assistance, clothing and food, Schmig said. He expects the Scranton chapter to assist more than 1,000

people this year, but fears donations may be lower because Black Friday falls later in the month.

The kettles have been set up at several locations since Nov. 15

, including Price Chopper, Big Lots, Hobby Lobby, JCPenny, Boscov’s and the Viewmont Mall

. The Walmart locations in Dickson City and Taylor

, and Sam’s Club in Dickson City have

been collecting money since Black Friday. The program

runs through Christmas Eve

.

“It’s started out well, relatively speaking, but much bigger days are ahead,” Schmig said.

Many volunteers supported the cause last year, but there is always need for more assistance.

“We had more people step up who wanted to ring the bells, including families, companies and individuals,” Schmig said.

Sandra Hipsman

of Jessup

has been volunteering with the Salvation Army for 13

years and noticed an increased need in recent years.

“I do it to help the community,” Hipsman said. “There are more families in need and crisis.”

Contact the writer:

rtomkavage@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9100 x5365;

@rtomkavage on Twitter

Police on Sunday night were on a manhunt for a Nanticoke man who stole a city police vehicle after blasting a police officer in the face with pepper spray and taking a teenage girl hostage.

Jordan Oliver, 20, the alleged perpetrator, was still at large as of press time. Police searched for Oliver throughout the day Sunday after he drove off in a Ford SUV belonging to Nanticoke police. As of Sunday night, the search appeared to be centered in the Warrior Run area of Hanover Twp., Luzerne County.

State police issued an Amber Alert for the girl Oliver allegedly took hostage. Police identified her as 15-year-old Samara Derwin.

Police responded to a report of a man holding a girl at knifepoint near Nanticoke High School at 3:18 p.m. Sunday, according to Nanticoke acting Police Chief Robert Lehman.

After the girl was secured in a police SUV, Oliver fought with an officer, Lehman said. Oliver was in possession of knives and axes, and possibly a gun, the chief said.

When a police officer tried to take him into custody, Oliver blinded him with pepper spray and jumped into the police SUV, according to Lehman. The officer fired shots at the suspect, Lehman said.

“You’re still trained to protect yourself,” he said.

Officers from multiple departments searched for Oliver and the stolen SUV.

Derwin is described as a white female, with brown hair with red highlights, blue eyes, wearing a white hooded sweatshirt and black yoga pants.

The stolen police vehicle has the number 7 displayed on its front. Anyone who sees the vehicle or has information may call 911.

Contact the writer:

emark@citizensvoice.com;

570-821-2117

A Jermyn man is wanted in connection with an assault early Sunday in Clarks Green.

Police say Chase J. Passeri, 29, 413 Gibson St., was at a home on Fairview Road where victims say they were drinking with friends.

When he arrived on the scene after 8 a.m., Clarks Summit police Officer Kevin Yetkowskas found blood on the sidewalk and stairs. He saw dried blood on the floor throughout the first floor and on Nicholas Thompson’s pants, shoes and shirt, Yetkowskas said in a criminal complaint.

The night before, Thompson’s girlfriend, Staci Wirth, had gone to bed, but about 3 a.m. she woke to find Passeri rifling through Thompson’s dresser.

When confronted, Passeri told Wirth he was “leaving a tip.”

She called for Thompson, who argued with Passeri; then both went downstairs. Wirth told Yetkowskas she heard a “bang” and found Thompson on the ground. Wirth tried to stop Passeri, who pushed her to the ground and jumped into a vehicle waiting outside, police said.

The victims didn’t decide to call police until family urged them to.

Passeri faces simple assault, harassment and disorderly conduct charges.

Contact the writer:

joconnell@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9131;

@jon_oc on Twitter

FELL TWP. — For 49 years, a giant light display has ushered in the holidays when it flickers to life atop Shannon Hill.

The steel structure shines as either a star at Christmastime or a cross at Easter. Work began on the design in the mid-1960s, and a group of residents built the holiday display in 1970 on private property, lighting the star above the Simpson section of the township for the first time that December.

The metal frame withstood decades of winters and harsh weather, but the wiring and electrical sockets haven’t fared as well, said township Supervisor Andy Gorel.

“It definitely needs to be upgraded,” he said.

With some help from electrical engineer Stan Yavoro-ski, whose father designed the display half a century ago, its nearly 300 incandescent lights were replaced with color-changing LEDs, Gorel said.

Before the LEDs, changing colors meant spending hours in a cherry picker swapping out each light by hand, Gorel said.

With the new system, they can remotely change the color of each light, he said.

“The stuff we dreamed of, (Stan) brought it to life for us — it’s incredible,” Gorel said. “It’s a tradition, and it’s improving instead of falling into disrepair.”

Although he now lives in the Philadelphia area, Yavoroski

has a warm place in his heart for Simpson.

The electrical engineer of 37 years said he’s not surprised that his late father’s design has held up for half a century, explaining that his dad designed everything to be “bulletproof.”

Yavoroski is the president of Digital Systems Group Inc., and he and his engineers spent a collective 500 hours designing the new light setup.

“It was a combination of labor of love as well as a technical challenge to see if we could refurbish it using current technology,” he said.

Designing an intricate lighting setup for a

65-foot by 63-foot display

that was durable enough to withstand Northeast Pennsylvania winters proved challenging, Yavoroski said.

He even consulted with Disney engineers.

“It turns out even Disney hadn’t dealt with something that size where the weather was that bad,” he said.

Yavoroski plans to incrementally upgrade the cross and star.

Over the next year, the holiday display will be sandblasted and

receive

new wiring, Yavoroski said. With new wiring and lights,

it can display more intricate light shows with real-time

changes, such as making the star look like it’s spinning, Yavoroski said.

With the new LEDs, the star was lit up orange for Thanksgiving and will be red, white and blue for Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and other patriotic holidays, Gorel said. The cross is also green for Veterans Day.

Joseph Scotchlas

, the secretary and treasurer of the Simpson Industrial Redevelopment Company

, which manages the display, said they are raising money for the renovation project. To donate, visit gofundme.com/f/simpson-starcross-maintenance

.

Scotchlas recalled gathering with a group of residents on a bridge beneath the display to watch the star light up for the first time when he was a kid.

“It was amazing,” he said. “It was a thrill — you had all your hopes and anticipations for Christmas.”

Thanks to the renovated display, they can carry on the tradition for future generations.

“I want to bring what I had as a young person growing up not only to my children but to other people in the community,” Scotchlas said.

The Christmas star will be lit from Dec. 15 through Jan. 15, Gorel said.

Contact the writer:

flesnefsky@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9100 x5181;

@flesnefskyTT on Twitter

WILKES-BARRE

A Plymouth man accused of “fishing for cats” with a baited hook was sentenced Monday to serve up to 23 months in the Luzerne County Correctional Facility.

Kenny Rowles, 28, pleaded guilty in September to a felony count of aggravated cruelty to animals involving torture and a misdemeanor count of cruelty to animals.

Luzerne County Judge Michael T. Vough imposed the sentence Monday, ordering Rowles to serve nine to 23 months in jail followed by two years of probation. Rowles will also be required to pay $4,745 in restitution for veterinary care, the judge ordered.

— JAMES HALPIN

The homicide trial for three people charged with killing a confidential informant has been postponed.

Lackawanna County Judge James Gibbons on Monday granted a motion filed by attorneys for one of the defendants, Cornelius Mapson, who is facing the death penalty if convicted of first-degree murder for the April 2018 death of Nina Gatto.

The trial was set to begin Jan. 6. No new date has been set.

Mapson, 34; Kevin Weeks, 26; and Melinda Palermo, 39, are charged with killing Gatto inside her Scranton apartment to stop her from testifying against Mapson in a drug case. Police said the trio first tried to inject Gatto with fentanyl in hope it would cause a fatal overdose. When that did not work, they suffocated her by placing a bag over her head.

Lackawanna County District Attorney Mark Powell previously said he is seeking a death sentence for Mapson because he was the mastermind of the crime. Powell is not seeking a death sentence for Weeks or Palermo.

In death penalty cases, a jury must first determine a defendant’s guilt. If found guilty of first-degree murder, the case will proceed to the death penalty phase, in which jurors weigh aggravating factors — those that make a crime more heinous — against mitigating factors — those that lessen a defendant’s culpability.

Mapson’s attorneys were granted permission to hire a mitigation expert to gather evidence to present at the death penalty phase, should it occur. The attorneys sought to postpone the trial to give the expert more time to interview people and gather documents.

Contact the writer:

tbesecker@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9137;

@tmbeseckerTT on Twitter

A Nanticoke man accused of pepper-spraying officers and stealing a police car while kidnapping his 15-year-old ex-girlfriend was killed when police converged on a wooded area Sunday near Warrior Run.

State police have released few details about the standoff that ended in the death of 20-year-old Jordan Oliver, but his family is questioning whether deadly force was necessary. “My son didn’t need to be killed,” Sean Oliver said Monday afternoon. “I’m not making excuses up for him. I’m not saying he should have gotten away with anything at all. He should have done jail time for what he did. But he didn’t deserve to die.”

In a prepared statement, state police said Jordan Oliver was holding Nanticoke resident Samara Derwin — his former girlfriend and the daughter of Nanticoke police Officer Michael Derwin — as a “hostage” when they confronted him. The Special Emergency Response Team contacted Jordan Oliver and “deadly force was used” before Derwin was freed unharmed, according to the statement.

A state police spokeswoman did not immediately return a message seeking additional details on what prompted police to use deadly force.

Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis said her office would investigate the incident.

While Sean Oliver acknowledged he didn’t know much about what happened in the moments before his son’s death, he did challenge the police description of Derwin as a hostage.

“They were both willingly together,” Sean Oliver said, noting Derwin was freely communicating on her phone during her alleged abduction. “There was no kidnapping. ... As a matter of fact, I kind of think he was set up, to be honest with you, because of her father being a Nanticoke police officer.”

According to kidnapping and aggravated assault charges state police filed against Jordan Oliver before he was killed, police were dispatched to Greater Nanticoke Area High School around 3:30 p.m. Sunday to a report of a man holding a girl at knifepoint.

Officers arrived to find Oliver standing in the parking lot while holding Derwin around the neck with a knife to her throat, the complaint says.

Negotiations fail

Police tried to negotiate with Oliver, who said he didn’t want to go to jail and that he would not hurt Derwin if officers stayed back, according to the complaint.

Officers continued negotiating as Oliver walked Derwin toward a baseball field, police said. At some point during the negotiation, Derwin got separated from Oliver and police told her to wait in a marked Nanticoke police SUV, the complaint says.

The charges allege that when police tried to arrest Oliver for assault, he grew combative, police said. Officers deployed stun guns, but the shock failed to subdue him.

At that point, Oliver pulled out a can of pepper spray and sprayed the officers with it before breaking free, according to the charges. Oliver jumped into the police car where Derwin was sitting and drove off, nearly hitting another uniformed officer who was in the area, police said.

That officer, who was not identified, fired his service weapon at Oliver as the vehicle came toward him, the complaint says. The vehicle continued on, however, until police lost sight of it.

What followed was an Amber alert for Derwin and a massive manhunt for Jordan Oliver, during which time his father said he sent frequent text messages to his son urging him to surrender.

“I’d rather die than go back to jail and deal with more PTSD,” Jordan Oliver wrote in one reply.

Court records show Jordan Oliver had a number of brushes with the law in recent years, including an August 2017 protection-from-abuse order obtained on behalf of an ex-girlfriend who alleged he hit her on the neck and became emotionally and physically abusive. Within weeks, he was accused of violating the order.

In May, Derwin’s mother obtained a restraining order on allegations that Jordan Oliver hit her daughter on the back and side of the head. He threatened to kill her if she got a restraining order, according to the petition. The order was to remain in effect until June 18, 2022.

In contrast to the police account that Jordan Oliver abducted Derwin, Sean Oliver said his son told him he was “talking to Samara” when the police showed up looking to arrest him for violating the PFA.

After an hourslong manhunt, police eventually found Jordan Oliver “holding (Derwin) hostage” in a wooded area near Warrior Run, according to the state police statement.

Derwin was recovered unscathed, but police killed Jordan Oliver, according to the statement.

Contact the writer:

jhalpin@citizensvoice.com;

570-821-2058

SCRANTON

The County of Lackawanna Transit System’s annual “Stuff the Bus” toy drive for Toys for Tots is scheduled for Thursday, COLTS said.

From 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., people can drop off new, unwrapped toys and books at the COLTS trolley at the Lackawanna Transit Center on Lackawanna Avenue. COLTS will also accept monetary donations. Donations will also be accepted at Courthouse Square between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Last year, COLTS collected $3,950 and nearly 700 toys during the “Stuff the Bus” campaign.

The campaign supports the Marine Wing Support Squadron 472 Detachment Wyoming, which serves Lackawanna, Luzerne, Susquehanna, Wyoming, Sullivan, Tioga, Bradford and Potter counties.

— JOSEPH KOHUT

The Nanticoke man accused of pepper-spraying officers and stealing a police car while kidnapping his 15-year-old ex-girlfriend was killed when police converged on a wooded area near Warrior Run Sunday.

State police have released few details about the standoff that ended in the death of 20-year-old Jordan Oliver, but his family is questioning whether deadly force was necessary.

“My son didn’t need to be killed,” Sean Oliver said Monday afternoon. “I’m not making excuses up for him. I’m not saying he should have gotten away with anything at all. He should have done jail time for what he did. But he didn’t deserve to die.”

In a prepared statement, Pennsylvania State Police said Jordan Oliver was holding Nanticoke resident Samara Derwin — his former girlfriend and the daughter of Nanticoke police officer Michael Derwin — as a “hostage” when they confronted him. The Special Emergency Response Team contacted Jordan Oliver and “deadly force was used” before Derwin was freed unharmed, according to the statement.

A state police spokeswoman did not immediately return a message seeking additional details on what prompted police to use deadly force.

Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis said her office would investigate the incident.

While Sean Oliver acknowledged he didn’t know much about what happened in the moments before his son’s death, he did challenge the police description of Derwin as a hostage.

“They were both willingly together,” Sean Oliver said, noting Derwin was freely communicating on her phone during her alleged abduction. “There was no kidnapping. ... As a matter of fact, I kind of think he was set up, to be honest with you, because of her father being a Nanticoke police officer.”

According to kidnapping and aggravated assault charges state police filed against Jordan Oliver before he was killed, police were dispatched to Greater Nanticoke Area High School around 3:30 p.m. Sunday to a report of a man holding a girl at knife point.

Officers arrived to find Oliver standing in the parking lot while holding Derwin around the neck with a knife to her throat, the complaint says.

Police tried to negotiate with Oliver, who said he didn’t want to go to jail and that he would not hurt Derwin if officers stayed back, according to the complaint.

Officers continued negotiating as Oliver walked Derwin toward a baseball field, police said. At some point during the negotiation, Derwin got separated from Oliver and police told her to go wait in a marked Nanticoke city police SUV, the complaint says.

The charges allege that when police tried to arrest Oliver for assault, he grew combative and began to struggle, police said. Officers deployed Tasers, but the shock failed to subdue him.

At that point, Oliver pulled out a can of pepper spray and sprayed the officers with it before breaking free, according to the charges. Oliver jumped into the police car where Derwin was sitting and drove off, nearly hitting another uniformed officer who was in the area, police said.

That officer, who was not identified, fired his service weapon at Oliver as the vehicle came toward him, the complaint says. The vehicle continued on, however, until police lost sight of it.

What followed was an Amber alert for Derwin and a massive manhunt for Jordan Oliver, during which time his father said he sent frequent text messages to his son urging him to surrender.

“Turn yourself in. I don’t want to see yourself get hurt anymore,” Sean Oliver wrote, according to a text exchange he provided to The Citizens’ Voice.

“I’d rather die than go back to jail and deal with more PTSD,” Jordan Oliver wrote back.

Court records show Jordan Oliver had a number of brushes with the law in recent years, including an August 2017 protection-from-abuse order obtained on behalf of an ex-girlfriend who alleged he hit her on the neck and became emotionally and physically abusive.

Within weeks, Jordan Oliver was accused of violating the order by trying to make contact with the girlfriend. When he was being arraigned on the violation charge, Jordan Oliver refused to comply with police commands and began smashing his head on a metal door and kicking the walls and the judge’s bench, according to the complaint.

An officer eventually used a Taser to subdue Jordan Oliver, who was charged with resisting arrest.

Over the years, Jordan Oliver was also charged with driving under the influence and with a number of non-criminal summary offenses, court records show.

Then in May, Derwin’s mother filed for a restraining order on allegations that Jordan Oliver hit her daughter on the back and side of the head. Jordan Oliver pushed the girl into a chair and pulled her hair, then threatened to kill her if she got a restraining order against him, according to the petition.

The filing alleges Jordan Oliver continued to bother Derwin in school via Facebook and showed up at the family home despite being told he was not welcome.

Derwin left the home with her father and the police were called, but Jordan Oliver continued sending messages saying he was walking around the house armed with a knife, the petition says.

Court records show that Jordan Oliver violated the protection-from-abuse order within weeks when he messaged Derwin’s mother asking her to permit him “five minutes to say goodbye” and then he would no longer bother the family.

Sean Oliver, however, maintained Monday that Derwin’s parents were the driving force behind the restraining order, which was to remain in effect until June 18, 2022.

“These two have been back and forth,” Sean Oliver said. “They’ve never stopped seeing each other, even from the PFA.”

In contrast to the police account that Jordan Oliver abducted Derwin, Sean Oliver said his son told him he was “talking to Samara” when the police showed up looking to arrest him for violating the PFA.

Following an hours-long manhunt, police eventually found Jordan Oliver “holding (Derwin) hostage” in a wooded area near Warrior Run, according to the state police statement.

Derwin was recovered unscathed, but police killed Jordan Oliver, according to the statement.

Sean Oliver questioned why police couldn’t have used nonlethal means such as tear gas or rubber bullets to subdue his son, rather than resorting to lethal means.

“He didn’t deserve to lose his life at only 20 years old,” Sean Oliver said. “There had to be 90 cops up there. You’re going to tell me that you guys were fearing that kid, even if he had a knife in his hand? I mean, there was something else they could have done other than use deadly force on him — just my opinion. These guys are trained for situations like this.”

Contact the writer:

jhalpin@citizensvoice.com

570-821-2058

A week before the start of his child pornography trial, a Factoryville man pleaded guilty Monday in federal court in Scranton.

Sean Michael Fryer, 37, whose last known address was 7 Church St., pleaded guilty to attempted online enticement of a child — a charge that carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a potential maximum penalty of life behind bars. He was scheduled for an anticipated three-day trial Dec. 9.

Federal prosecutors alleged that between July 31, 2018, and Aug. 7, 2018, Fryer told an undercover task force officer based out of the FBI’s Kansas City Division about his desire to have sex with a teen boy.

Using the moniker “Bad Boy” on the Kik messaging application, Fryer also told the task force officer he has had sex with a 13-year-old boy and described in graphic detail what that was like, according to a memorandum drafted by the U.S. attorney’s office in the run-up to his trial.

The task force officer gave Fryer the username of another person who purportedly had a 10-year-old son Fryer could potentially have sex with. In reality, that person was an undercover FBI special agent in New York.

On several occasions, Fryer asked the undercover agent for sexually explicit pictures and videos of the, unknown to Fryer, made-up child.

Fryer also sent the agent two cloud storage links containing hundreds of child pornography images and videos. He also sent one child porn image directly though Kik, federal prosecutors wrote in a memo.

Kik gave the FBI internet protocol logs related to the conversations. A follow-up subpoena to Frontier Communications for the identity behind that IP address led investigators to Fryer.

On Sept. 8, 2018, authorities raided Fryer’s home.

A federal grand jury seated in Scranton issued an indictment Dec. 11 charging Fryer with attempted production of child pornography, receipt and distribution of child pornography, possession of child pornography and attempted online enticement of a child.

If released, Fryer will have to spend a minimum of five years on supervised release, pay a $250,000 fine and a $5,100 special assessment.

It was unclear when Fryer’s sentencing will be scheduled. He remained in the Lackawanna County Prison on Monday.

Contact the writer:

jkohut@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9144;

@jkohutTT on Twitter

The state attorney general’s office agreed to a $65,000 settlement of a federal lawsuit filed by the family of a man who was arrested for a crime his son committed.

Steven Guziewicz, 49, of Scranton, filed suit in 2014 on behalf of the estate of his deceased father, Raymond Guziewicz. The suit alleged agent Renee Magnotta wrongly arrested Raymond Guziewicz on charges of passing forged prescriptions for controlled substances at several area pharmacies.

According to court records, Raymond Guziewicz was arrested Jan. 31, 2012, after an area physician reported he suspected Guziewicz had stolen a prescription pad and had presented forged prescriptions for narcotics at several pharmacies. He was jailed until Feb. 2, 2012, when he was released on bail.

Authorities later dropped the charges against Raymond Guziewicz after they learned Steven Guziewicz was the person who had passed the forged scripts. Steven Guziewicz pleaded guilty in September 2013 to acquiring a controlled substance through misrepresentation and was later sentenced to 11 to 23 months in prison.

The lawsuit claimed Magnotta did not have sufficient evidence to support charges against Raymond Guziewicz, who died in March 2013 at 74, and that she included false information in the arrest affidavit filed against him. The suit sought damages on several counts, including false arrest, malicious prosecution and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

The attorney general’s office sought to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing Magnotta was immune from prosecution because she was acting within her official duties. Senior U.S. District Judge A. Richard Caputo granted the motion to dismiss the false arrest and emotional distress counts, but let stand Guziewicz’s claim for malicious prosecution.

In his ruling, Caputo said Magnotta was not immune because she acknowledged the arrest affidavit she filed against Raymond Guziewicz stated a pharmacist told her both Steven and Raymond Guziewicz had presented forged scripts. In reality, the pharmacist said only Steven Guziewicz had done so.

The case went before a mediator and a settlement was reached in October. A copy of the settlement, recently obtained through a request filed under the state’s Right to Know Law, says the attorney general’s office does not admit to any wrongdoing and opted to settle the case to avoid the expense of further litigation.

Contact the writer:

tbesecker@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9137;

@tmbeseckerTT on Twitter

Good work around the region

MARRIAGE LICENSES

• Lindsey Elyse Cohen, Clarks Summit, and Benjamin Joseph Whitaker, Scott Twp.

• Thomas Jude Pavlick and Dana Marie Fortunato, Avoca.

PROPERTY TRANSACTIONS

• Tina Cost, Lackawanna County, to Plymouthraz LLC, East Stroudsburg; a property at 1234 Watson Ave., Scranton, for $134,000.

• Nicholas J. Munley, Lackawanna County, to Daniel Thomas Ward and Courtney Taylor Sussman; a property at 240 Hickory St., Blakely, for $100,000.

• Matthew V. Musewicz, Scranton, to Felicia Brinson, Scranton; a property at 313-315 E. Elm St., Scranton, for $80,000.

• Marie Eskra, executrix of the estate of Lucille Laskowski, Scranton, to David C. Lobue, Scranton; a property at 1620 S. Irving Ave., Scranton, for $69,900.

• Stephanie L. and Joshua E. Seldin, per agent Diana Orr, Clarks Summit, to Cartus Financial Corp.; a property at 408 Gladiola Drive, Clarks Summit, for $319,900.

• Cartus Financial Corp. to David C. and Lindsay M. Parfrey; a property at 408 Gladiola Drive, Clarks Summit, for $319,900.

• Charles C. and Marianne P. Hydock, Moosic, to Marianne J. Santioni, Old Forge; a property at 309 Center St., Taylor, for $60,000.

• Michael Kearney, also known Michael P. Kearney, Lackawanna County, to Hopeful Homes Co., Hatboro; properties at 1705-1707 Capouse Ave., Scranton, for $110,000.

• Christopher R. Bilardi and Kelly M. Ashton, Old Forge, to Roberto Navarro and Valeria Loeffler, Duryea; a property at 405 Milwaukee Road, Old Forge, for $35,000.

• Robert W. Rosen Jr., individually and as executor of the estate of Robert W. Rosen Sr., to Romulus Properties LLC, Elmira, N.Y.; a property at 102 Florida Ave., Scranton, for $63,000.

• William J. Haschak to Steven Joseph Narcoonis; a property at 313 Cypress St., Throop, for $85,000.

DIVORCES SOUGHT

• Robert Blakely, Scranton, v. Jennifer Blakely, Scranton; married in Scranton; pro se.

• Dawn M. Toy, Covington Twp., v. Brian F. Toy, Covington Twp.; married Feb. 9. 2002, in Niagara Falls, N.Y.; Johanna L. Gelb, attorney.

ESTATES FILED

• Louis J. Giordano III, 511 Morgan Highway, Scranton, letters testamentary to Jill G. Blom, 4605 South Green Place, Kennewick, Washington.

• Paul F. Guse Jr., 794 State Route 690, Spring Brook Twp., letters testamentary to Ronald T. Guse, 2480 Major Road, Madison Twp.

• Josephine T. Maceyko, Mountain View Nursing Home, Scranton, letters of administration to Patricia Gatto, 103 Taroli St., Old Forge.

ONLINE: thetimes-tribune.com/court