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Woman who had arsenal wants to donate weapons
By Ray Flanagan 10/30/2003
Police firepower in Lackawanna County could be strengthened if the wishes of a Moosic woman, who purchased $100,000 in weapons in the months before her arrest in 2002, are carried out.
Attorney Thomas Munley, who represents Sandra Petriello, 51, 2508 Lawrence Ave., and Assistant District Attorney Amy Phillips say the woman wants to donate some of the weapons to area SWAT teams.
The subject emerged when Mrs. Petriello appeared before Judge Michael Barrasse earlier this month for sentencing on two charges of simple assault and one of making terroristic threats.
She was put on house arrest for 12 to 36 months. The sentence ended almost a year of imprisonment, which began Aug. 26, 2002, after a Moosic police officer noticed Mrs. Petriello outside her home with a stun gun.
Mr. Munley said Mrs. Petriello also will try to sell some of the weapons through a licensed firearms dealer. That same arrangement was used in the late 1990s when a large number of firearms was seized from John Tanis, who also lived in Moosic.
Mrs. Petriello was originally arrested on much more serious charges involving the pointing of a weapon at her husband on the day of her arrest and firing a shot at her son some weeks before. Counts of aggravated assault were dropped when the husband and the son did not back up police reports.
At one point, Mrs. Petriello was released on bail, but was returned to prison after she falsified an application to buy two more guns by denying she was facing criminal charges.
Her case lingered as both the defense and prosecution asked that she be mentally evaluated. A defense expert told Judge Barrasse in January that Mrs. Petriello was too anxious to assist in her defense.
At her sentencing, Ms. Phillips indicated the prosecution wanted the woman to pay at least $6,000 for the mental evaluations.
The weapons will remain in police custody until negotiations are completed.
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=10432644&BRD=2185&PAG=461&dept_id=416045&rfi=6
By Ray Flanagan 10/30/2003
Police firepower in Lackawanna County could be strengthened if the wishes of a Moosic woman, who purchased $100,000 in weapons in the months before her arrest in 2002, are carried out.
Attorney Thomas Munley, who represents Sandra Petriello, 51, 2508 Lawrence Ave., and Assistant District Attorney Amy Phillips say the woman wants to donate some of the weapons to area SWAT teams.
The subject emerged when Mrs. Petriello appeared before Judge Michael Barrasse earlier this month for sentencing on two charges of simple assault and one of making terroristic threats.
She was put on house arrest for 12 to 36 months. The sentence ended almost a year of imprisonment, which began Aug. 26, 2002, after a Moosic police officer noticed Mrs. Petriello outside her home with a stun gun.
Mr. Munley said Mrs. Petriello also will try to sell some of the weapons through a licensed firearms dealer. That same arrangement was used in the late 1990s when a large number of firearms was seized from John Tanis, who also lived in Moosic.
Mrs. Petriello was originally arrested on much more serious charges involving the pointing of a weapon at her husband on the day of her arrest and firing a shot at her son some weeks before. Counts of aggravated assault were dropped when the husband and the son did not back up police reports.
At one point, Mrs. Petriello was released on bail, but was returned to prison after she falsified an application to buy two more guns by denying she was facing criminal charges.
Her case lingered as both the defense and prosecution asked that she be mentally evaluated. A defense expert told Judge Barrasse in January that Mrs. Petriello was too anxious to assist in her defense.
At her sentencing, Ms. Phillips indicated the prosecution wanted the woman to pay at least $6,000 for the mental evaluations.
The weapons will remain in police custody until negotiations are completed.
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=10432644&BRD=2185&PAG=461&dept_id=416045&rfi=6
