New Castle News
Shenango Township police patrolling New Butler Road motels arrested five people this week.
Four allegedly were caught with drug paraphernalia in rented rooms at the Eldorado and Shenango motels, police said. One driver leaving the Eldorado allegedly had a stolen semiautomatic handgun under the seat.
In some cases, management told police the tenants with drug paraphernalia were in rooms others had rented, and that two of the men actually had been refused room rentals because they had stayed there previously and stole towels, washcloths and pillow cases. The manager told them they were not allowed back.
They are Antwan Johnson, 41, of Clarksdale, Miss., and Adrian C. Jones, 23, of Louisiana. Police said neither has a permanent local address.
Johnson and Jones, both charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and defiant trespass, are in jail.
Johnson was wanted on a bench warrant and awaits trial for allegedly having shot at someone on Halco Drive in November. He told police he was displaced by Hurricane Katrina.
Police Wednesday charged Craig A. Pierce of 1005 Beech St., after pulling him over in a gray Nissan sedan when he left the motel around 1 a.m. Tuesday. The car, where the stolen gun was found, had a broken tail light, a cracked windshield, its registration plate was covered and the inspection sticker had expired.
The car is registered to a Beaver Falls resident.
Police charged Pierce with receiving stolen property, carrying a firearm without a license and driving while his license is suspended.
Police returned to a room at the Eldorado with Pierce in a cruiser. Johnson and Jones were in the room, which a woman had rented, they said.
Police searched it and seized five used hypodermic needles, a digital scale containing suspected cocaine residue, a package of plastic bags and two razor blades with suspected drug residue and more than $750 cash.
In a separate incident, Police went to the Shenango Motel around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday to investigate a suspicious car with the driver’s side door open.
They learned the driver, Aaron Pallerino, 51, of 2062 Moravia St., had rented a room. They knocked on his door and while talking to him, officers saw drug paraphernalia and crack cocaine on the dresser, they said.
Pallerino tried to hide the items, and a woman, later identified as Crystal E. Lowe, 26, of 923 N. Liberty St. went into the bathroom, according to police. Pallerino told police he did not know the woman’s name. She gave police a false name, they said, but later was identified.
Pallerino and Lowe are charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and false information to law enforcement authorities.
Patrolman Robert Sipe said the police have been paying special attention to the motels. “New Butler Road has the only motels in Lawrence County and we get a lot of drug traffic through there,” he said, adding the problems have moved from the city. Patrolman Jason Domenick said prostitution also is a problem at the motels. “That’s a main reason, along with drugs, why we’re keeping an eye on it,” he said. “It’s really busy out there at night.” Eldorado manager Jay Patel said that when someone wants to rent a room and produces a license and identification, “it’s not on anybody’s forehead what they’re going to do.” He said that whenever the police approach him with a problem, they help each other and work together.
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