Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

A fight between several inmates at FCI-McKean this morning sent one of them to the hospital, but with injuries that were not as serious as originally reported. Vicky Moser tells WESB five inmates got into a fight, and one had to be taken outside the facility for treatment. He is now back in the prison. The other four suffered only minor injuries. Initial police radio reports said a man had been stabbed three times in the back and was in critical condition. A landing zone for a medical helicopter had been set up at Bradford Regional Airport, but he was taken to BRMC. Moser says an investigation is ongoing, but at no time was there any danger to the public. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Three inmates at FCI-McKean have been indicted by a federal grand jury for having contraband in the facility. According to the indictments in the three separate cases, 29-year-old Keith Hightower had a weapon on May 9; 32-year-old Oscar Acosta-Levario had a weapon on June 10; and 31-year-old Jose Aquino had a cell phone on June 14. The weapons charge carries a maximum sentence of five additional years in prison; the cell phone, one year. Prosecutors did not say what kind of weapons the men had. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

An inmate at FCI-McKean will spend an extra 10 months behind bars after being convicted of having heroin in the facility. 42-year-old Bernardo Granado-Velasquez had the heroin on March 22 of last year. The US Attorney’s Office did not say how much heroin he had. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

(News Release) SMETHPORT – The McKean County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) met on December 6, 2013 at the County EMA facility. Representatives from McKean County Emergency Management, Pennsylvania DEP, Zippo, W.R. Case and Sons Cutlery, American Red Cross, American Refining Group, FCI Mckean and Allegheny Bradford Corporation were in attendance. The LEPC was formed in accordance with PA Act 165 of 1990 and the Federal Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) Title III. The primary roles of the LEPC are preparing plans dealing with the release of Extremely Hazardous Substances from facilities utilize these chemicals, the collection and use of chemical fees from industries to support Hazardous Materials Response needs in the county. Updated plans for Universal Well Services and The McKean Landfill were reviewed and approved. Also, new plans for Baker Petrolite and the CARES-McKean were reviewed and approved. The LEPC was also notified that Superior Well Serv...

The federal prison guard who tried to shoot his wedding ring off his finger has been accepted into McKean County’s A-R-D program. 31-year-old Alfredo Malespini III of Bradford had been fighting with his wife on March 2 when he decided to try to get rid of his wedding ring. When police arrived at his home his finger was nearly severed, but the ring was still attached to it. He had been charged with recklessly endangering another person as well as disorderly conduct. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Two more months have been added to the sentence of an inmate at FCI-McKean who had cell phones and cigarettes with him in the facility. 26-year-old Leray Lanier was sentenced this week following his conviction for possession of contraband in prison. He was found with the items in January. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

WARREN – The Warren-based non-profit organization Friends of Allegheny Wilderness (FAW) teamed up Thursday with the U.S. Forest Service, and inmates from FCI McKean to plant 200 white pine (Pinus strobus) trees in the Allegheny National Forest (ANF). The planting took place at three specific sites as part of ongoing cooperative ecological restoration work between FAW and the agency: · At the head of an abandoned road near the North Country National Scenic Trail in the proposed Minister Valley Wilderness. · At the head of an abandoned road leading from the Hearts Content Campground into the Hickory Creek Wilderness. FAW and the ANF have been working to restore this site since 2001. · At the head of an abandoned road at the Hickory Creek Wilderness trailhead. FAW and the ANF have been working to restore this site since 2006. The objective of this restoration work is ultimately to for all intents and purposes erase from the landscape all evidence that there were e...

Two FCI-McKean inmates will be spending extra time behind bars for having marijuana in the facility. 31-year-old Timothy Snard has been sentenced in federal court in Erie to six more months for having marijuana in the prison on April 15. 33-year-old Marvin Greer has been sentenced to two more months for having marijuana on July 11. The new sentences have been tacked on to the terms the men are currently serving. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

An inmate at FCI-McKean will spend two extra months behind bars for having marijuana in the prison. 37-year-old Jose Antonio Sanchez had marijuana in the prison on May 5. He pleaded guilty to possession of contraband in prison. The two months will be tacked on to the sentence he’s currently serving. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

An inmate at FCI-McKean will spend another month behind bars for having a cell phone in the facility. 35-year-old Jose Israel Leal pleaded guilty in federal court today to possessing contraband in prison and was sentenced to one month in prison. Leal had the phone inside the prison in June. The sentence was imposed to run consecutively to the sentence he’s currently serving. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

An FCI-McKean inmate has been sentenced to three more months behind bars for submitting a fake letter to prison officials. 34-year-old Wahidullah Hossani pleaded guilty to using a false writing or document in a matter within the jurisdiction of the government. In March, he submitted the fraudulent letter in an effort to get into the Residential Drug Abuse Program at FCI-McKean. http://www.justice.gov/usao/paw/news/2012/2012_november/2012_11_02_01.html The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Three inmates at FCI-McKean have been indicted by a federal grand jury in separate incidents. 27-year-old Toylawuo Galtogbah is accused of assaulting another person with a dangerous weapon on May 9. He could face 10 more years in prison if convicted. 27-year-old Marcus Luther allegedly had a weapon in the prison on March 28. He could face another 5 years in prison if convicted. 34-year-old Wahidullah Hossaini is accused of submitting a fraudulent letter in an effort to be admitted to the Resident Drug Abuse Program at the prison back in March. He could face an additional 5 years in prison if convicted. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

United Way of the Bradford Area, Inc. will host the 2nd Annual Spring Arts Gala on Thursday, April 19th at the Bradford Club. The event will feature over 30 pieces of artwork donated from local artists, including paintings, framed photographs, wood carvings, glass sculpture, jewelry, and hand crafted furniture. Tim Asinger will act as head auctioneer for the event, with a guest auctioneer appearance by Woody Woodruff. When we planned the Spring Art Gala last year, we had a vision of creating an event that showcased the local talent of the Bradford community, in a festive networking atmosphere. This year, we have been overwhelmed with the scope of talent and variety of artists that have agreed to donate hand crafted items for the auction. From students with the Bradford Area High School art club, to inmates with FCI McKean, to area artists such as Denise Drummond, Sean Huntington, Alan Hancock, Jay Monti, and Gina Zetts, among others, we know that this year’s gala will well represent t...

A man who is in FCI-McKean on drug charges has been indicted for the 2004 murder of a West Virginia man who was a confidential police informant. 36-year-old Eric “Butter” Johnson is accused of killing 60-year-old Bart Gilbert Bannar Jr. Bannar was found dead in the driver’s seat of a pickup truck on September 14, 2004, with gunshot wounds to his chest and arms. Berkeley County prosecutors believe Johnson killed Bannar because information he provided to police put someone close to Johnson in prison. They say they got a break in the case when people who knew what happened changed their lifestyles and came forward with information. Johnson’s scheduled release date from FCI-McKean is September 15, 2018. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A commercial dryer caught on fire at FCI-McKean Friday evening. No one was hurt and Lafayette Township volunteer firefighters were on the scene for about an hour. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The federal appeals court in Atlanta has turned away the latest attempt by actor Wesley Snipes to get his conviction and prison sentence on tax charges overturned. The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta today rejected the appeal by Snipes, who was convicted in 2008 on three misdemeanor counts of willful failure to file income tax returns. Defense lawyers contended they received two emails from former jurors that reported misconduct among other members of the panel. But the court held that it wasn't "strong, substantial and incontrovertible evidence" that would warrant a new trial. Snipes started a three-year term at FCI-McKean in December.

Wesley Snipes will be in McKean County for another 2 ½ years. The Supreme Court today has refused to hear Snipes’ appeal over his conviction o federal tax evasion charges. He is serving time for misdemeanor convictions of not filing tax returns in 1999, 2000 and 2001. He was acquitted of felony charges. Snipes started serving his three-year sentence at FCI-McKean in December. For more on this story go to CNN.com .

Lawyers for Wesley Snipes have filed a petition asking the US Supreme Court to examine claims he was wrongly tried, and that prosecutors should have met a higher standard of proof. In December Snipes began serving a three-year sentence at FCI-McKean for failure to file income tax returns. Snipes was convicted in 2008 on three misdemeanor counts of willful failure to file income tax returns. Several last minute appeals were denied. Photo from Wikipedia

An inmate at FCI-McKean will spend an extra month in prison for having contraband in prison. 51-year-old Hakim Malik Ali pleaded guilty to the charge, and the sentence will be tacked onto the 97-month sentence he’s currently serving. Ali had a cell phone in the prison last October.

Thanks to "Listener X" who sent us this pictures of Wesley Snipes arriving at Bradford Regional Airport on Thursday. Snipes is currently serving a 3-year sentence for not filing tax returns, a misdemeanor. He was acquitted on felony charges of tax evasion. Although the sentence is for three years, his release date is scheduled for July 19, 2013, according to the Bureau of Prisons website.