Lansford arrests

Lansford police have arrested three borough men for baseball bat violence, drugs and trespassing to play pool in a house attached to a former industrial soap plant on West Bertsch Street.

Kareem Jaima Walker, 24, 220 W. Front St., faces charges from an incident which took place on Jan. 29 at 208 W. Patterson St. 3rd floor. Charges were filed by Officer Tom Fort.

Walker is charged with two counts of simple assault, possession of a controlled substance-heroin, possession of drug paraphernalia, and two counts of harassment. Bail was set at $1,000 straight cash and he was committed to prison.

According to an affidavit of probable cause, at 11:07 p.m., Fort was dispatched to the house for an assault. He spoke with the victim, Kyle Nalesnik, and witness Shannon Schock. Both said they were arguing with each other when Walker told Nalesnik to stop arguing with his girlfriend. Nalesnik told Walker to mind his own business, that the argument was between Nalesnik and Schock. Walker became irate and started to attack Nalesnik with his fists, striking him in the head and face numerous times. Fort saw that Nalesnik had a swollen face and bruising and needed medical attention.

Walker was found at 22 W. Front St. Officer Helmer and Fort found him in a back room near the kitchen. He was arrested and offered Miranda warnings. Helmer noticed a brown prescription bottle at Walker's feet, which Walker identified as his. In the bottle were four small, white glassine packets, which turned out to be heroin. Walker admitted they were his and for his own personal use.

Michael Atherholt, 29, 531 E. Bertsch St., faces charges from an incident which took place on Jan. 28 at that address. Charges were filed by Officer Brian Horos. Atherholt is charged with simple assault and harassment. Bail was set at $1,000 straight and he was committed to prison.

According to an affidavit of probable cause, Horos was dispatched to a domestic dispute at Atherholt's house at 8:48 p.m. Atherholt allegedly threatened the 17-year-old victim with a baseball bat. Police arrived to find Atherholt had already run away through the back yard. The victim told police Atherholt had been drinking throughout the evening and they had gotten into an argument and Atherholt had called her derogatory names. The victim tried calling 911, but Atherholt tried to stop her and grabbed her cell phone. He then allegedly grabbed the bat and chased her out of the house. She was finally able to call 911.

Officer Joshua Tom went down to the 600 block of East Ridge St. because he was familiar with Atherholt and knew that his brother lived in the area. Tom found Atherholt, arrested him and took him back to the police station. Horos instructed the victim and her mother, who is Atherholt's girlfriend, to come to the police station to fill out a written statement, which she did. The victim told Horos that she is afraid of Atherholt because he threatened her with a baseball bat.

Horos called the Carbon County District Attorney's Office, and Assistant District Attorney Michael Greek approved the charges.

James Acevedo-Schneider, 19, last known address 21 S. Centre Street, faces charges from an incident which took place from Jan. 6 through Jan. 20 at 401 W. Bertsch St. Charges were filed by Det./Sgt. Jack Soberick. Acevedo-Schneider is charged with criminal trespass (a felony). His bail was set at $2,500 straight cash and he was committed to prison.

According to an affidavit of probable cause, Soberick was on duty at 5:56 p.m. Jan. 20 when he was called to a report of a person down at 401 W. Bertsch St. Additional call information was that this subject had also been assaulted with a baseball bat and was drugged and was now unresponsive.

Upon arrival Soberick quickly found there was no unresponsive subject. Rather, Acevedo-Schneider had been caught inside the large industrial building and attached home by the building's owner, Bennett Verta. Verta told Soberick he had been aware that someone had been entering the building, and upon checking that night, he had found an open window. After checking further, he found Acevedo-Schneider inside the attached house, playing pool.

Soberick arrested Acevedo-Schneider and read him his Miranda warnings. Acevedo-Schneider gave Soberick a written statement, admitting he had entered the building through the open window. He had been doing this for about the past week-and-a-half, using the building as shelter because he is homeless.

Soberick found blankets and lanterns set up in the building in kind of an indoor camping area. Assistant Carbon County District Attorney William McDonald approved the charges.