FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                            BUTLER TOWNSHIP POLICE ARREST TWO PEOPLE AFTER GUN  BRANDISHED DURING DISPUTE; HEROIN SEIZED

Butler Township Police arrested two people after a firearm was brandished during a dispute. The incident took place around 10:30 am Thursday morning at an apartment at 417 S. Hunter Highway.

Police were called to the residence after the building landlord, Rishi Rakshpal, reported Alex Albert Victoriano, age 25, of that address, engaged in a confrontation with him and pulled a revolver from his waistband and brandished it during the argument. Victoriano had the gun taken away from him by Jonathan G. Vega, age 23, at which time Victoriano grabbed a nearby machete and continued to threaten him. Victoriano then struck Rakshpal in the face several times with his fist.

Police arrived and were detaining Victoriano, when they were alerted that Vega, who also resides at that address, was hiding something. Vega was taken into custody in back of the apartment building just after he had concealed a duffel bag of evidence of guns and drugs.

Police recovered the duffel bag which contained a loaded Colt Trooper MKIII .357 magnum revolver, a Rohm .22 caliber revolver, ammunition and 230 packets of heroin. The Rohm handgun had the serial number obliterated to prevent identification.

The apartment is known to police after previous incidents. Police executed search warrants and found illegal drugs on June 12, 2013 and January 7, 2014, separately arresting two the 2 previous tenants. It also drew the attention of the SPCA after several pit bulls were abandoned after the June 2013 incident. The apartment, which had been shut down in January by Butler Township Code Enforcement, was unoccupied until recently when Vega and Victorino moved in.

Vega was recently arrested by Butler Township Police and the Luzerne County Drug Task Force on October 2, 2014. He was arrested after arriving at a drug deal on E. Chestnut Street in Hazleton. He was found with more than 500 bags of heroin, a stolen handgun, crack and synthetic marijuana. Court records in that case show that Vega posted $50,000 dollars though a bail bondsman.

Victoriano was charged with firearms not to be carried without a license, a felony; terroristic threats, 2 counts of simple assault; which are misdemeanor offense and harassment. He was arraigned by District Judge Michael Dotzel who set his bail at $50,000 straight.

Vega was charged with possessing a firearms with the serial number altered, firearms not to be carried without a license and possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance – all felonies. District Judge Dotzel set Vega’s bail at $250,000 straight. Both were incarcerated at the Luzerne County Prison pending a hearing next week.

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{MEDIA: 1 photo electronically attached}

 Released- 10/18/2014 10:10 pm

Released by: Cpl. William J. Feissner              

20141018_Police_Press_Releases.pdf

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    BUTLER TOWNSHIP POLICE AND LUZERNE COUNTY DRUG TASK FORCE SEIZE CASH, HEROIN AND HANDGUN DURING UNDERCOVER INVESTIGATION

 Butler Township Police and the Hazleton City Police Narcotics Unit, in conjunction with the Attorney General’s Luzerne County Drug Task Force, seized more than 500 packets of heroin during an undercover operation in Hazleton on October 2, 2014.

Butler Township Police initiated an investigation in which officers negotiated for the delivery of 500 packets or 10 “bricks” of heroin from Jonathan Gregory Vega, aka “J”, age 23 of S. Laurel Street in Hazleton in exchange for $1300. A meeting place was set up near the intersection of E. Chestnut Street and S. Bennett Court. Around 1:45 pm, officers observed Vega walking to the meeting point. Vega saw undercover officers approaching and fled into a nearby store.

Vega pulled a stolen Beretta handgun from his waistband, as well as the 10 bricks of heroin and attempted to hide it inside a drink cooler. Vega was immediately taken into custody inside the store. The event was captured on the store video surveillance system.

In addition to seizing the stolen handgun and 500 packets of heroin, officers also seized 10 additional packets of heroin, cocaine, synthetic marijuana and more than $1200 dollars after searching Vega.

Vega was charged with delivery of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver, firearms not to be carried without a license and receiving stolen property – all of which are felony counts. He was also charged with a misdemeanor count of possessing a controlled substance, a misdemeanor.

Vega was arraigned before District Judge Martin Kane who set his bail at $50,000. Vega is currently incarcerated at the Luzerne County Prison in lieu of bail.

The investigation is continuing and additional arrests are expected. The street value of the heroin seized was $5,000.

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(MEDIA: Photo electronically attached of seizure)

    Released- 10/09/2014 5:10 am

Released by: Cpl. William J. Feissner            

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BUTLER TOWNSHIP POLICE INVESTIGATING BANK ROBBERY

Butler Township Police are investigating a Monday afternoon bank robbery. The robbery happened just before 12 pm at the First National Bank in Rittenhouse Place.

The suspect is believed to be a black male, 30-40 years of age, 5’9” to 6’0” feet tall, medium build and 180 – 200 pounds. The suspect was wearing a baseball cap, blue hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans and black and neon gloves.

The suspect entered the bank and handed a note to the teller demanding money and that he had a gun. The suspect grabbed the money and fled from the bank on foot and went north along S. Hunter Highway (SR0309). The suspect may have been picked up by a black SUV.

No one at the bank was injured. The suspect did not display a weapon during the incident.

Butler Township Police are requesting that anyone who observed the suspect or saw a black SUV just north of Rittenhouse Place is asked to contact township police at (570) 788-4111 or Luzerne County 911. (20141006M0014/bjs)

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(MEDIA: There are 3 electronically attached photos)

 Released- 10/07/2014 3:20 am

Released by: Cpl. William J. Feissner             

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BUTLER TOWNSHIP POLICE CONTINUE TO INVESTIGATE BANK ROBBERY –

UPDATE 1 - SUSPECT VEHICLE RECOVERED

Butler Township Police continue to investigate a Tuesday afternoon bank robbery. The robbery happened around 4 pm at the National Penn Bank on S. Hunter Highway in Drums. A masked suspect entered the bank, vaulted the teller counter and stole an undisclosed amount of money

The suspect’s get-away vehicle was located by Butler Township Police around 1 am Wednesday morning. A Butler Township Police officer on patrol found the vehicle abandoned on Prospect   Road, approximately ¼ mile from E. Butler Drive.

The vehicle was stolen from the Scranton area Tuesday afternoon.

Police ask anyone who saw activity around the PPL pole line anytime during the afternoon hours to contact them at (570) 788-4111 or Luzerne County 911.

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     Released- 10/02/2014 5:22 am

Released by: Cpl. William J. Feissner          

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                BUTLER TOWNSHIP POLICE INVESTIGATING BANK ROBBERY

Butler Township Police are investigating a Tuesday afternoon bank robbery. The robbery happened around 4 pm at the National Penn Bank on S. Hunter Highway in Drums. A masked suspect entered the bank, vaulted the teller counter and stole an undisclosed amount of money

The suspect is believed to be a white male, 6’1” to 6’3” feet tall, slim build, 175 – 190 pounds, wearing black jogging pants, a black Under Armour zip up hoodie with red trim, black sneakers with white soles and laces.

The suspect exited the bank and fled in a beige metallic 2007 Honda Civic which was last seen traveling east on E. Butler Drive toward Freeland.

There were 6 people inside the bank at the time of the robbery, none of which were injured. The suspect did not display a weapon during the incident.

Butler Township Police are requesting that anyone who observed the suspect or vehicle prior to or following the robbery to contact township police at (570) 788-4111 or Luzerne County 911. (20140930M0011/bb/wjf)

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(MEDIA: There are 3 electronically attached photos)

Released- 10/01/2014 3:40 am (rev 1)

Released by: Cpl. William J. Feissner