A Blakely man who believed his girlfriend took his phone and wallet is facing a felony charge after police say he tore apart her apartment, punched holes in multiple walls and scattered clothes throughout the residence before assaulting her.
Leland Carson, 18, of 100 Timber Falls Lane, faces a felony charge of strangulation and a misdemeanor charge of assault.
Scranton police responded to a Summer Pointe Drive apartment at about 8 p.m. on July 4 for a report of an assault. Police spoke with Melania Desouza, finding she had marks on her left arm, neck and face, and a lump on the back of her head.
Desouza told police Carson got upset because he couldn’t find his phone and wallet and thought she took them. Officers were not able to locate either the phone or wallet in the apartment.
Carson then began throwing clothing around the apartment and punched holes in to walls, before he struck Desouza in the face and forced her against a wall, according to the complaint. Carson then choked Desouza and she had difficulty breathing, police said
The two continued fighting in the kitchen, where Desouza picked up a pair of scissors to defend herself, according to the complaint. Officers noted the scissors didn’t have blood on them.
Police later found Carson at his residence. He acknowledged had had a physical altercation with Desouza, but said she tried to stab him with scissors. He admitted that, at one point, Desouza was in the bathroom, and he had a chance to simply leave the apartment.
Investigators noted that Desouza had marks on multiple areas of her body and had been strangled to the point of not being able to breath.
“It appears she pulled the scissors to defend herself from Carson,” officers said in the complaint.
Carson remains at Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $50,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 10:45 a.m. on July 15 before District Judge Paul Keeler.