38-year-old from Lawrence County indicted on child porn charges

By The Tribune-Review
Tuesday, May 5, 2009

A federal grand jury indicted a New Castle man Tuesday on charges of transporting, receiving and possessing child pornography.

Court records state that Kelly Hardy, 38, communicated over the Internet with a person in Mississippi about his fantasies of "sneaking into houses" and "into little girls rooms." Hardy sent sexually explicit images involving girls ranging in age from 4 months to 5 years, an affidavit states.

Hardy has been in custody since last month when, court papers state, federal agents raided his house and found child pornography on his computer. He is scheduled to be arraigned May 15 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert C. Mitchell.

Lawrence Co. jury decides man should get death penalty for ’07 slaying

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — A jury deliberated for five hours today before deciding a New Castle man will die for the murder of a city woman.

Gaylord Spell, 46, was convicted Thursday of first-degree murder in the beating death of SueAnn Brest. Brest’s nude body was found March 1, 2007, in the parking lot of the Lawrence County Career and Technical Center in Shenango Township.

She had been struck in the head 10 times with a blunt object. Two of those blows, to her temples, splintered her skull into star patterns, said the forensic pathologist who conducted her autopsy.

Dr. James Smith testified during the penalty phase of Spell’s trial before Judge J. Craig Cox of Lawrence County Common Pleas Court.

Judge Cox will formally sentence Spell to death at a later date.

For the complete story, see Tuesday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com

Police arrest New Castle man in sexual assault on girl

By Staff and wire reports
Wednesday, April 29, 2009

State police in Lawrence County arrested a New Castle man on suspicion of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl.

Ronald L. Dougalewicz, 36, was arraigned Monday on charges of statutory sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, unlawful contact with a minor, corruption of minors and indecent assault. The alleged incident occurred on March 14, according to a state police press release.

Dougalewicz was released on $50,000 bond. A Union Area School District official said Dougalewicz is a strength and conditioning consultant who had been hired to create training programs for student-athletes.

Arrest Made in Shenango Stabbing Death

April 24, 2009

NEW CASTLE, Lawrence County-- State police say they made an arrest this week in the stabbing death of Tommy Nail, a 19-year old man found dead near a road in Shenango Township in March.

Emergency crews found Nail dead after responding to a 911 call about a fight on March 25. Nail died from a stab wound to the neck. Now police say a New Castle man faces involuntary manslaughter charges.

Police say 27-year-old Joseph Clyde McCormick was arraigned Friday and held at the Lawrence County jail on $25,000 bond.

http://media.www.wcn247.com/media/storage/paper1389/news/2009/04/16/CommunityNews/Arrest.Made.In.Shenango.Stabbing.Death-3726098.shtml

27-month jail term given to Lawrence County woman for mail fraud

By The Tribune-Review Wednesday, April 22, 2009

A federal judge Tuesday sentenced a Lawrence County woman to serve 27 months in prison for embezzling from a Canonsburg business.

Carole L. McConnell, 48, of New Castle, who pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud, was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Maurice B. Cohill.

Prosecutors said McConnell embezzled $358,892 between February 2006 and April 2007 while she worked as the financial controller for AZCAR USA. McConnell forged company checks made payable to herself and her creditors, prosecutors said.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_621736.html

Police Make Arrest In Lawrence County Homicide

Shenango Twp (KDKA) - Police have arrested a Lawrence County man in connection with the death of a New Castle woman last month.

According to officials, Gaylord Spell, 44, of New Castle, has been charged with criminal homicide in the death of 40-year-old Sueann Brest, back on March 1st.

Police say it happened in the parking lot along Wood Street in Shenango Township.

An autopsy showed Brest died of multiple blunt force trauma.

Spell was arraigned and is now being held in the Lawrence County prison without bond.

http://kdka.com/topstories/Lawrence.County.Shenango.2.388749.html

PA Drug Sweep Arrests 25

Lawrence County law enforcement agencies team up to do some spring cleaning. Making at least 25 arrests as part of a county wide drug sweep.

The Pennsylvania State Police, New Castle Police and other neighboring law enforcement agencies began rounding up the suspects before dawn.

The charges include possession with intent to distribute drugs, including crack-cocaine and oxycontin.

"We had 34 arrest warrants sworn out, we picked up 25 individuals, sezied 5 weapons as well as 7,000 dollars in cash," says District Attorney John Bongivengo.

The District Attorney says the suspects arrested are mid-level drug dealers who have been under investigation for more than a year.