Man faces theft charges following incident

LEWISTOWN — Victor M. Guzman-Ortega, 25, of Lewistown, is facing charges of summary retail theft and two other suspects with him are facing charges pending identification after an incident at the Nittany MinitMart, 403 E. Walnut St., Lewistown, at 3:17 p.m. on Sept. 15, according to a release issued by the Lewistown Police Department on Friday. Officers received a report from the convenience store about an incident that occurred on the night of Sept. 3 when three subjects entered the store, the report said. One of the involved parties pretended to be checking out items at a self-checkout while two other individuals walked through the store concealing merchandise, the report said. One of the involved parties was identified during a separate incident on Sept. 16 as Guzman-Ortega.

Man with brass knuckles charged with assault

LEWISTOWN — Lewistown Police Department officers were dispatched to the 200 block of West Third Street in Lewistown for an assault after a resident reported they were attacked by Samuel D. Sharp, 33, of Lewistown, at 10:26 a.m. on Sept. 15, according to a release issued on Friday. The victim alleged being attacked by Sharp and that he struck them with brass knuckles, the report said, and the victim had swelling on the back of their head and various cuts. Sharp fled the area prior to police arrival and officers documented the injuries on the victim, the report said. The victim initially requested EMS; however, later refused medical treatment, the report said. At 11:12 p.m., officers returned to this residence as Sharp was allegedly threatening the victim with a knife, the report said. Officers located Sharp on the 100 block of West Fourth Street, the report said, and Sharp admitted to having brass knuckles earlier but denied using them to assault the victim. Sharp said the earlier altercation occurred because the other party threw a bicycle at him, the report said, and Sharp admitted to swinging his fist at the other party in response to that. The brass knuckles could not be located, the report said, and Sharp was charged with simple assault and harassment.

Lewistown man charged with receiving stolen property

LEWISTOWN — Vincent Benveniste, 19, of Lewistown, was charged with theft and receiving stolen property after using a card they found to make a purchase at a vape shop on the 100 block of South Main Street in Lewistown at 12:11 p.m. on Sept. 16, according to a release issued by the Lewistown Police Department on Friday. Officers received a report that a resident accidentally left his wallet sitting on a baby stroller in front of a residence on the first block of Chestnut Street in Lewistown, the report said. On the morning of Sept. 15, the subject realized they left their wallet in the stroller, the report said, and the resident then began getting Cash App notifications that someone tried to use the card. Officers went to this location and reviewed surveillance video, the report said, and the subject attempting to use the victim’s Cash App card was recognized as Benveniste. Officers later spoke to Benveniste over the phone and he eventually admitted to having the wallet and returned it to police, the report said.

Lewistown man charged with possession

LEWISTOWN — After receiving photos from surveillance video from a retail theft incident, Lewistown Police Department officers were patrolling the 100 block of South Spruce Street at 2:58 p.m. on Sept. 16, when they identified Victor M. Guzman-Ortega, 25, of Lewistown, according to a release issued on Friday. Officers questioned Guzman-Ortega about why he had a strong odor of marijuana coming from him, the report said, and he admitted to possessing a small amount of marijuana on him that he was not legally allowed to possess. Guzman-Ortega surrendered the contraband, the report said, then admitted to having a 9-millimeter handgun concealed inside his waistband. Officers retrieved the loaded concealed weapon, the report said, and Guzman-Ortega could not produce a concealed carry permit. Officers looked at a database that showed Guzman-Ortega’s concealed carry permit was revoked on March 11, 2021, the report said, and he was charged with attempted homicide after he shot a subject several times in the Lewistown Borough on March 10, 2021. Police said those charges were later withdrawn after the victim in the shooting incident passed away in an unrelated event. Guzman-Ortega did not obtain a valid permit, the report said, and he was taken into custody and transported to Mifflin County Correctional Facility in Lewistown where he was charged with firearms not to be carried without a license and possession of a small amount of marijuana.