January 27, 2025 4:53 am
CHARLEROI, Pa. — (WPXI) – A Washington County man is facing charges after Pennsylvania State Police determined he had sex with a child. State Police Belle Vernon says troopers were sent to a Fallowfield Township home on Saturday evening for a welfare check on a child. Through investigation, the PSP report states troopers determined Miguel Pedrosa, 62, of Charleroi, was “engaging in sexual intercourse with a minor child.” Pedrosa was arrested and taken to the Washington County Prison. Online court records show he faces multiple charges, including rape of a child, statutory sexual assault of a child older than 11, aggravated indecent assault without consent and corruption of minors.
January 27, 2025 2:54 am
Washington County Commissioners and Prison Officials announced on Monday that they have coordinated with Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) to release Jose Turcios Salmeron, a foreign-born national from El Salvador, on January 23rd. He was being held on charges including aggravated and simple assault. “Last year, the Washington County Correctional Facility released 2,178 incarcerated persons into the county…. of those, less than five were undocumented and sent to ICE. Last week, we booked five incarcerated individuals who face deportation once criminal due process has been completed.” “We want it crystal clear that Washington County is not a sanctuary county. I applaud the Trump Administration for their due diligence in helping clear criminal illegal aliens from our jail. The days of the catch and release policy are over, Commissioner Sherman stated.”
January 27, 2025 2:46 am
A Robinson Township man accused of sexually assaulting a 13 year old girl in October of 2022 pleaded guilty in court on Monday. Dakota Dillon, 32 pleaded guilty to a single charge of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a person under 16. For that, he will receive 4-8 years in state prison followed by 3 years probation. He will also have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. Dillon was accused of sexually assaulting a girl in his home and, in some instances, pressuring her to drink alcohol. With the plea deal, Dillon will not face charges of aggravated assault, child endangerment and corruption of minors. In a separate case, Dillon pleaded guilty to single counts of terroristic threats and simple assault. He received sentences of 6-23 months in jail for both of those charges and he will serve those sentences concurrently to his state sentence.
January 26, 2025 8:15 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Republicans put Pennsylvania and Wisconsin back in the win column in the 2024 presidential race, and they’re hoping that momentum carries over to contests this year that will determine whether their state Supreme Courts retain left-leaning majorities or flip to conservative control. The outcome can be pivotal in deciding cases related to abortion, election disputes, voting laws and redistricting for Congress and their state legislatures. Money is pouring in and expected to eclipse the $70 million-plus combined spent on the states’ Supreme Court races two years ago. The Wisconsin race has caught the attention of Elon Musk, the SpaceX and Tesla CEO who is a close ally of President Donald Trump, and has surfaced tensions related to Trump’s pardons of his supporters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
January 26, 2025 8:11 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The CIA now believes the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic most likely originated from a laboratory. That’s according to an assessment released Saturday pointing the finger at China even while acknowledging the spy agency has “low confidence” in its own conclusion. The finding isn’t the result of any new intelligence, and the report was completed at the behest of the Biden administration and former CIA Director William Burns. It was declassified and released Saturday on the orders of President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the agency, John Ratcliffe, who was sworn in Thursday as director. (Photo: AP)
January 26, 2025 8:09 am
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Rain falling on Southern California is expected to aid firefighters mopping up multiple wildfires. But potentially heavy downpours on charred hillsides could bring new troubles such as toxic ash runoff. Los Angeles County crews spent much of the past week removing vegetation, shoring up slopes and reinforcing roads in devastated areas of the Palisades and Eaton fires. The National Weather Service says most of the region is likely to get less than an inch of precipitation. But there is a threat of localized cloudbursts causing mud and debris to flow down hills. Rain is expected to increase throughout Sunday and could last into Tuesday. Flood watches have been issued for some burn areas. (Photo: AP)
January 26, 2025 8:07 am
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel has prevented thousands of Palestinians from returning to the northern Gaza Strip as it accused Hamas of violating a fragile ceasefire by changing the order of hostages it has released. Local health officials said Sunday that Israeli forces fired on the crowds, killing two people and wounding seven. In a separate development, U.S. President Donald Trump suggested that most of Gaza’s population should be at least temporarily resettled elsewhere, including in Egypt and Jordan, in order to “just clean out” the war-ravaged enclave. Egypt, Jordan and the Palestinians themselves have previously rejected such a scenario, fearing Israel might never allow the refugees to return.
January 26, 2025 8:06 am
ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE (AP) — President Donald Trump says he would like to see Arab nations increase the number of Palestinian refugees they are accepting from the Gaza Strip, potentially moving out enough of the population to “clean out” the area to create a virtual clean slate. He told reporters aboard Air Force One on Saturday that he has discussed his vision on a call with King Abdullah II of Jordan and would speak Sunday with Egypt’s president. Trump also says he has ended his predecessor’s hold on sending 2,000-pound bombs to Israel. That lifts a pressure point meant to reduce civilian casualties during Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza that is now halted by a tenuous ceasefire.
January 26, 2025 7:59 am
HEMPFIELD TOWNSHIP, Pa. (WPXI) – A married couple and their two young children were found dead in Westmoreland County in what police are calling an apparent murder-suicide. Pennsylvania State Police are investigating the incident that happened at a home on Keck Lane in Hempfield Township. Westmoreland County Coroner Tim Carson identified the victims Friday morning as Paul Swarner, 35, Karen Swarner, 32, Evelyn Swarner, 5 and Connor Swarner, 1. “It’s unthinkable. Unfathomable. To be honest with you I don’t have the words to describe how awful,” said Trooper Steve Limani of the Pennsylvania State Police. “I mean you’re talking about your wife, but then a five year old and then a one year old. It’s just devastating.” Troopers said they received a call at 11:30 p.m. Thursday from Karen Swarner’s dad who had done a welfare check on the family and found his daughter, Paul Swarner and their kids dead. Right now, troopers are looking to see if they can find out why Paul Swarner killed his family and himself, and also map out a timeline on when the shootings happened.
January 26, 2025 7:00 am
A Fayette County judge dismissed all charges against three men charged in a drive by shooting in Uniontown 2020. On Thursday Judge Linda Cordaro granted pretrial motions to dismiss filed by Micah Craig, Malik Belt and Devyon Dennis in the shooting death of Kaii McCargo on September 4, 2020. The judge found that prosecutors there did not have enough evidence to proceed to trial. McCargo was a passenger in a vehicle that was parked on Evans Street when another car pulled up beside it and fired multiple shots, hitting McCargo in the head and torso. Another passenger, Issac Michaux, was able to roll out of his seat to avoid the gunfire.
