West Chester man indicted for alleged FBI threats

Federal authorities say he threatened agents and their family members By Kathleen Brady Shea, Managing Editor, The Times A 32-year-old West Chester man whose Twitter moniker is  “espionage hacking” has been indicted by federal authorities for allegedly threatening to kill FBI agents and members of law enforcement, a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office said on Thursday, March 12. Justin...

Ex-foster parent gets 20 to 40 years in prison

Leroy K. Mitchell accepts plea deal, admits molesting five children By Kathleen Brady Shea, Managing Editor, The Times Leroy K. Mitchell For years, a respected member of the community molested various children in his care – until one “very courageous 10-year-old girl” broke the cycle, not only reporting the abuse but also agreeing to call the perpetrator, who apologized while police were...

Ex-foster parent waives 2nd preliminary hearing

He is accused of abusing total of  seven victims aged 3 to 10 By Kathleen Brady Shea, Managing Editor, The Times Leroy K. Mitchell, 60, waived his preliminary hearing Monday on a second set of child-molestation charges. For the second time in less than three months, a former coach, foster parent, and corrections officer waived his preliminary hearing on child-molestation charges on Monday. Leroy...

Man who fled with paycheck ‘mistake’ in custody

Thomas A. Ortiz-Ayala is accused of absconding with about $3,000 he received in error from his West Goshen Township employer. Police:  He agreed to return funds deposited in error  – then changed his mind Life on the lam ended last week for a former Chester County employee who had been sought on theft charges, West Goshen Township Police said Thursday. Police said they issued a warrant for...

County: No records on children fostered by defendant

Data not within state requirements for retention, officials said By Kathleen Brady Shea, Managing Editor, The Times Leroy K. Mitchell, accused in two cases of child molestation, served as a foster parent in Chester County from 1989 to 1997, county officials said. An attempt to learn more about the foster-parenting history of the former county employee accused of molesting two girls in his care has...

Former foster parent waives hearings on sex charges

Prosecutor says investigators have identified other possible victims By Kathleen Brady Shea, Managing Editor, The Times Leroy K. Mitchell, 60, a former foster parent and corrections officer, waived two preliminary hearings Monday on charges that he molested two young girls. A former Chester County foster parent and corrections officer waived his preliminary hearings Monday morning in two, separate...

Longtime foster parent charged with molesting 2 girls

Chester County D.A. urging other potential victims to come forward By Kathleen Brady Shea, Managing Editor, The Times Leroy K. Mitchell, a longtime foster parent and corrections officer, is accused of molesting two young girls. A longtime foster parent has been charged with molesting two children, ages 9 and under, in his care, Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan said Tuesday. Leroy K. Mitchell,...

Two teens accused of armed burglary

Police: Crime interrupted by mother, daughter, who were confronted at gunpoint By Kathleen Brady Shea, Managing Editor, The Times Alex W. Granger, 18, of Birmingham Township, is accused of burglarizing a neighbor’s home and pointing a gun at the victims when they arrived home. School buses were detoured Tuesday afternoon after a Birmingham Township mother and daughter interrupted a burglary,...

Tattoos provide grisly reminder of murder scene

D.A. says Norristown teen fatally stabbed, burned for $350 By Kathleen Brady Shea, Managing Editor, The Times Shakeem L. Carter, 20, is accused of fatally stabbing Kevin S. Allen on Feb. 12. His tattoos included “cutthroat” on his neck and flames on his left hand, images that factored into a grisly homicide, authorities said. Two weeks after investigators found “a doorway to hell” in a burning,...