PITTSBURGH, PA – Charges have been filed against Scott Playford of Renfrew, PA, after a firearm was found in his backpack at Pittsburgh International Airport. The incident occurred at 2:29 PM on May 21, 2024, when Transportation Security Administration officers at the airport’s main security checkpoint detected the handgun and promptly alerted Allegheny County Police.
Playford, a 45-year-old Canadian citizen residing legally in Pennsylvania, was identified as the backpack’s owner. He does not hold a concealed carry permit and now faces a misdemeanor charge for carrying a firearm without a license. Following the discovery, the firearm was seized, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation was notified of the incident.
The Transportation Security Administration warns that passengers who bring firearms to airport security checkpoints could face federal civil fines up to $10,000, with fines for repeat offenders reaching as high as $13,910.
- Delco woman facing charges for defecating on car during road rage
‘Delco Pooper’ arrested after viral road rage defecation incident in Prospect Park
A woman identified as Christina Marie Solometo, 44, of Ridley Park, has been arrested and charged in connection with a bizarre and widely circulated road rage incident in Delaware County that ended with her defecating on another driver’s car.
The incident took place on Tuesday, April 29, at the intersection of Fourth Street and Madison Avenue in Prospect Park. Police say the confrontation began when Solometo, driving a black Nissan, honked at a silver sedan that failed to turn on a green arrow. The encounter escalated when Solometo claimed the other driver mocked her and followed her vehicle.
After stopping, Solometo exited her vehicle and, instead of engaging physically, climbed onto the hood of the silver sedan and defecated. The act was recorded by a bystander and quickly spread online, earning her the nickname “Delco Pooper.” In the footage, the woman is seen smiling before driving away.
“I wanted to punch her in the face, but I pooped on her car instead and went home,” Solometo later admitted, according to Prospect Park Police. The department arrested her on Thursday, May 1.
Woman faces multiple charges, court date set
During her arrest, Solometo told police she believed the other driver was chasing her and that she feared being attacked. She also cited a personal “sickness” and added, “It was a clean poop. I didn’t even have to wipe.”
Solometo has been charged with indecent exposure, disorderly conduct, criminal mischief, harassment, and depositing waste on a highway. She posted a $1,000 cash bail and is scheduled to appear in court on May 19 at 9 a.m.
Police emphasized the disruption caused by the incident, stating, “It can’t happen in this community. The recognition a town gets over this kind of thing is really unwelcome.”
The video has sparked a wave of social media reactions, memes, and national attention, though officials stressed the seriousness of the matter despite its viral nature.
- Philly player pockets $798K in instant lottery win
PHILADELPHIA, PA — A single Fast Play ticket purchased at a neighborhood grocery store has delivered a massive $798,244 payday to one lucky player in Philadelphia.
The winning Deep Pockets ticket was sold at Mason Grocery, located at 353 Lyceum Avenue, on Thursday, May 1. The store will receive a $5,000 bonus for selling the ticket, according to the Pennsylvania Lottery.
Deep Pockets is a $20 Fast Play game featuring progressive top prizes that start at $350,000 and increase with each ticket sold until the jackpot is hit. Unlike traditional scratch-offs, Fast Play tickets print on demand and deliver instant results without the need to wait for a drawing.
The identity of the ticket holder has not been released. Players who win top prizes are encouraged to sign the back of the ticket immediately and contact the Pennsylvania Lottery at 1-800-692-7481.
All lottery prizes over $5,000 are subject to applicable tax withholdings. Fast Play prizes must be claimed within one year of the ticket’s purchase date.
- NY man sentenced to 40 years for deadly beating
HARRISBURG, PA — A New York man was sentenced Thursday to 20 to 40 years in state prison for the 2021 killing of 41-year-old Helena Johnson, who was found dead in a Hazle Township motel room, according to Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday.
Joseph Sarmiento, 40, was convicted in February of third-degree murder after a judge found him guilty but mentally ill. On Thursday, a Luzerne County judge handed down the maximum sentence permitted for the charge.
Johnson, of Massachusetts, was discovered deceased on June 6, 2021, in a room at the Red Carpet Inn on North Church Street. Authorities determined she had been beaten to death, with a forensic pathologist testifying that she suffered at least 10 blows and signs of strangulation.
Sarmiento had called 911 early on June 5, claiming he had found Johnson unresponsive in the bathtub. However, surveillance footage showed the two entering the motel room at 6:59 a.m. on June 4. Sarmiento was seen leaving alone around 9:00 a.m. and did not return for 15 hours — after which he contacted emergency services.
“This defendant’s attempts to avoid accountability for the brutal killing of Miss Johnson ended today with this decades-long prison sentence,” Attorney General Sunday said.
Sister’s courtroom letter recalls victim’s laughter and joy
During Thursday’s sentencing, several victim impact statements were read in court, including a letter from Johnson’s sister, Karen. “I remember her laugh, smile and making jokes. I’ll never get back the times we went on vacation, dinner, concerts and how much fun we had,” she wrote.
The case was prosecuted by Chief Deputy Attorney General Brian Zarallo. State police led the investigation after initially responding to the motel scene in June 2021.
Sarmiento, who remained in custody throughout the trial, was not charged with premeditated murder, but prosecutors pursued a conviction based on the evidence of sustained assault and the absence of any other suspects.
The judge cited the brutality of the crime and the overwhelming evidence in imposing the maximum allowable term.