A Scranton man on parole for a prohibited weapons charge and three other city residents entered a condemned building Friday, police charge.
Officers received a report of people inside a condemned residence at 309 Warren St. around 6:45 p.m., according to a criminal complaint.
Patrolwoman Olivia Muchal saw a man — identified as Anthony Brazen — standing near a black Chevrolet. Another man — identified as Frank Ford — ran from officers and went into the house, police said.
Ford ran past a man and woman — identified as Lukasz Drozdzewski and Jaime Schembri — who were coming out of the residence, officers said.
An officer ordered Ford to exit the residence with his hands visible, and he was detained by police, according to the criminal complaint.
When officers questioned them about entering the building, Brazen said it was his sister’s house, and that he was allowed to retrieve items from inside, police said.
The house had multiple condemned signs on the door, and it was past daylight, officers said.
Officers contacted Brazen’s sister, Serena McDermott, who told them the house had belonged to her, but that it was condemned in February, according to the criminal complaint.
McDermott also said she told Brazen several times not to enter the residence at night, police said.
Drozdzewski told police he picked up Brazen to come to the house. Ford and Schembri were with Brazen, and all four entered the residence, officers said.
Officers noticed items in the back of Drozdzewski’s vehicle, and found a bag containing drugs and drug paraphernalia after receiving consent to search it, police said.
A police dog sent into the residence detected an odor of narcotics in a storage room, leading officers to find a pipe containing drug residue, according to the criminal complaint. Officers also found a revolver behind a cabinet in the home with six live rounds in the cylinder, police said.
Among the items officers recovered from the scene were two glass smoking pipes containing drug residue, a zip-close bag containing a white powdery substance, a small glass container with a white rock material inside, a green glass pipe with white residue inside, and a silver. 38 special revolver with a wooden handle and bullets, according to the criminal complaint.
Police charged Ford, 51, with criminal trespass, flight to avoid apprehension, loitering and prowling at night, evading arrest, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Schembri, 47; Drozdzewski, 40; and Brazen, 36, all face charges of criminal trespass, loitering and prowling at night, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
A preliminary hearing for Ford and Drozdzewski is scheduled for Monday at 10:30 a.m. while Schembri and Brazen are set to appear in court Monday at 10:45 a.m.