SHENANDOAH - Police took 13 people into custody Friday during a roundup to execute more than a dozen arrest warrants.
One of the men picked up had been a fugitive since leading police on a car chase in January. He needed to be subdued Friday and taken for medical treatment.
Franklin R. Sterner, 26, jumped through a window in the home at 334 S. Jardin St. in Shenandoah where he had been staying. He was taken into custody after officers used their Tasers to subdue him.
Shenandoah police Capt. George Carado said Sterner lists his address at 326 E. Centre St., Shenandoah, but was staying at the home where officers arrested him.
"He ran from the guys, jumped through the window but someone grabbed him by the legs," Carado said.
Sterner was arraigned on three complaints.
The first complaint charged Sterner with theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property and fleeing or attempting to elude police, all felony offenses; a misdemeanor charge each of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle reckless driving; and summary offenses of driving without lights to avoid apprehension or arrest, accidents involving damage to unattended vehicles or property, careless driving, driving while operating privileges are suspended or revoked, duties at a stop sign and driving the wrong way.
In connection with those charges, Shenandoah police said that on Dec. 27, 2011, Sterner stole a car owned by Kevin Evans and on Jan. 1 was involved in two hit-and-run crashes in the borough.
Sterner fled from police but crashed the car into a garage and utility pole on South Chestnut Street and then fled on foot into the woods.
A second unrelated warrant charged Sterner with misdemeanor theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property and felony forgery while a third warrant charged him with felony criminal trespass and two misdemeanor counts of criminal mischief.
Sterner was committed to Schuylkill County Prison on $50,000 straight cash bail for the first warrant and then $10,000 straight cash for each of the two additional complaints set by Magisterial District Judge Anthony J. Kilker.
Others taken into custody on drug charges Friday were:
- William Rodriguez, 30, of 315 S. West St., Shenandoah. Rodriguez was arraigned on two warrants each charging him with two counts of possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance and one count each of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Bail was set at $35,000 for each of the complaints.
- Tori A. Chester, 27, of 238 W. Coal St., Shenandoah, two felony counts of possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance and a misdemeanor charge of possession of drug paraphernalia. Bail was set at $25,000.
- Alex J. Fogarty, 22, of 19 Lost Creek Road, Lost Creek, two felony counts of possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance and a one misdemeanor count each of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Kilker set bail at $50,000.
- Kristen N. McCabe, 19, of 408 S. Jardin St., Shenandoah, four felony counts of possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance and two misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance. Bail was set at $50,000.
- Andrea L. Dinofa, 34, of Raven Run Road, Box 224, Lost Creek, two warrants, each charging her with two felony counts of possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance and a misdemeanor count each of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Bail was set at $35,000 for each of the complaints.
- Richard Bates, 26, of 206 S. Jardin St., Shenandoah, two felony counts of possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance and one misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia. Bail was set at $35,000.
- Megan McCabe, 19, of 13 Mauch Chunk St., Tamaqua, two felony counts of possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance and one misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia. Bail was set at $15,000.
- Matthew Koncsler, 20, of 126 N. Catherine St., Shenandoah, two felony counts of possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance and one misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia. Bail was set at $15,000.
- Felix Luna, 23, of 15 N. Gilbert St., Shenandoah, four felony counts of possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance and two misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance. Bail was set at $50,000. Luna was arrested in Pottsville.
- Katherine Mock, no age available, of Shenandoah, two felony counts of delivery and possession with intent to deliver marijuana. Bail was set at $15,000.
All of those taken into custody were committed to prison unable to post bail, Shenandoah police Chief Joseph Hall said.
In addition, Drug Task Force members served a bench warrant on Corey Ratliff, Ashland, for failure to appear for a revocation hearing, according to the Schuylkill County District Attorney's Office. Martin Mercado, Girardville, was also apprehended during the sweep because he was wanted by the state parole board, according to the DA's office.
Taking part in the arrests were police from Shenandoah and West Mahanoy Township, the state police Fugitive Task Force, state police from the Frackville station, the Schuylkill County Sheriff's Office and DA's office, Schuylkill County Adult Probation, the Pennsylvania Parole Board and the U.S. Marshals.
Authorities said the arrests are the result of more than six months of investigations into the various crimes.
District Attorney Karen Byrnes-Noon said many of the drug investigations were started by people calling in tips to the Schuylkill County Drug Tip Line. If anyone has drug tip information, they can call 800-414-1406. If anyone has information in the City of Pottsville, they can call 570-622-1234 mailbox 150.