National Roundup

Pennsylvania
DA: Mom chased pot while twins, 3, died in fire
PITTSBURGH (AP) — A Pittsburgh-area woman has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and other crimes for allegedly leaving her 3-year-old twins alone before they died in a fire, while she was trying to retrieve marijuana stolen by her 15-year-old daughter.
The attorney for 32-year-old Dalawna Berran-Lett says he’s still reviewing the charges filed Tuesday against the North Braddock woman, who remains in shock from burying her twins on Saturday.
The boys, Ky’heir (KY’-heer) and Dy’heir (DY’-heer) Arthur, died in the Jan. 4 fire. Investigators believe the boys started the fire while trying to cook something while Berran-Lett was gone for about 15 minutes trying to retrieve her marijuana.
Investigators say the boys nearly started a fire trying to cook ribs in December when they were left alone by Berran-Lett for about 20 minutes.

Ohio
Couple admits putting kids in plastic boxes
STEUBENVILLE, Ohio (AP) — An eastern Ohio couple has pleaded guilty to punishing their three children by forcing them into plastic storage boxes sealed with duct tape and only a square cut in the top for air.
A prosecutor said the children, ages 5, 6 and 8, were crammed into the boxes as punishment June 16 at the family home in Steubenville while the parents went to the grocery store and left two uncles at home with them.
WTOV-TV reports that the father, James Taylor, pleaded guilty Tuesday to two counts of child endangerment and one count of unlawful restraint. The plea deal calls for a year in jail.
Samantha Taylor pleaded guilty to the same charges and got two years of probation. The two other men pleaded guilty to unlawful restraint and got probation.

Massachusetts
2 charged with stealing from Girl Scouts cash box
NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (AP) — Two men are being held on charges they stole nearly $400 from a group of Girl Scouts selling cookies at a store in Massachusetts. An adult supervising the Scouts suffered a broken nose and arm injuries trying to stop the men.
Authorities say 22-year-old Nicholas Taverna of Greenfield and 25-year-old Cassidy Michalski of Deerfield were held on $5,000 bail each at their arraignment Tuesday on charges of unarmed robbery, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and shoplifting.
Police say the suspects stole two cellphones from the Walmart in Northampton on Saturday and tried to trade them for drugs in Holyoke. When that failed, they returned to Northampton where they had seen the 11- and 12-year-old Scouts earlier, and stole their cash box.

Connecticut
Suspended priest pleads not guilty in meth probe
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A suspended Roman Catholic priest in Connecticut has pleaded not guilty to federal drug charges accusing him of taking in more than $300,000 from sales of methamphetamines.
The Connecticut Post reports that 61-year-old Kevin Wallin entered the pleas Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Hartford. Four other people have been charged in the alleged drug-selling operation that authorities say involved shipments of methamphetamine from California to Connecticut.
Wallin is the former pastor of St. Augustine Parish in Bridgeport. He resigned in 2011 citing health and personal issues and was suspended from public ministry last May by the Diocese of Bridgeport.
Federal prosecutors say Wallin sold most of the drugs out of his apartment in Waterbury from August to December and some of the transactions involved an undercover officer.

California
Voice actor for Charlie Brown cartoon arrested 
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Authorities in California say the voice actor who portrayed Charlie Brown in many “Peanuts” shows was arrested on charges that include stalking.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokeswoman Angelica de Cima said Peter Robbins was arrested Sunday at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. She told U-T San Diego that a background check yielded a warrant against Robbins from the San Diego County sheriff’s department.
A sheriff’s spokeswoman said she did not have details about the warrant.
The 56-year-old was arraigned Wednesday on counts of making a threat to cause death or great bodily injury and of stalking. His manager has declined to comment.
Robbins was the voice of Charlie Brown for TV specials, “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.”

Pennsylvania
Jury selection begins in judge corruption case
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jury selection has begun in the corruption trial for suspended Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin and her sister, Janine.
The women are charged with illegally using Melvin’s former Superior Court staff to run her political campaigns. Both deny wrongdoing.
Allegheny County prosecutors say Melvin used her taxpayer-funded staff to campaign for the state’s highest court in 2003 and 2009.
Thirty-three of the first 50 potential jurors summoned Wednesday in Pittsburgh said they knew of the case.
The women are also charged with conspiring with a third sister — former Republican state Sen. Jane Orie — to illegally use Orie’s state-funded staff to work on Melvin’s campaigns.
Orie is incarcerated for misusing her staff on her own campaigns. She was acquitted of using staff to help Melvin campaign.

Louisiana
Baton Rouge mall shooter receives 20 year sentence
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — An 18-year-old Baton Rouge man received a 20-year prison term and forgiveness after pleading guilty in a January 2012 shooting that injured two teenage bystanders outside the Mall of Louisiana.
The Advocate reports the teen victims and their parents said inside the courtroom that they forgive Johnny Williams and pray that he will someday become a productive member of society.
Williams was scheduled to stand trial Tuesday on two counts of attempted first-degree murder but instead pleaded guilty as charged in exchange for a 20-year sentence. He faced up to 50 years on each count.
Williams’ co-defendant, Michael Burrell, 18, of Baker, also is charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder and was slated to stand trial Tuesday, but he is now set to return to court Feb. 6 for a status hearing.