Swissvale Neighbors' Dispute Lands Three in Jail

Two men and a woman face a formal arraignment on Nov. 28 in Common Pleas Court on a variety of charges stemming from a dispute between neighbors in the 7500 block of Melrose Street in Swissvale.

On Oct. 10, District Judge Thomas Caulfield held Sam L. McArthur III, 39, of Wilkinsburg; Sean Cotten, 30, of McKees Rocks; and Fawn Suber, 46, of Swissvale for court for their parts in a disturbance on Aug. 24.

According to a criminal complaint filed by Swissvale police, officers received a call that people were making threats with guns and that there was a disturbance on Melrose Street. An officer saw people run into an apartment building. A woman, identified as Suber, stopped the officer at the front door and told him just she and her daughter were in the apartment.

The officer moved her and saw two men exiting and removing gloves from their hands, odd in that it was 75 degrees out. The officer heard the toilet flushing and continue to run as he talked to the woman. Upon checking, he found two firearms in the tank—a .40-caliber Smith & Wesson registered to a woman and a .40-caliber Ruger that had been reported stolen from Clairton.

The complaint stated that Suber and a female neighbor have been having a dispute for several months. The neighbor told police two men, identified as McArthur and Cotten, come from inside the apartment and began yelling at her.

A witness claimed McArthur pulled a handgun from his waistband and threatened to spray the entire street if he had to. The witness told police that Cotten also had a gun.

Police took McArthur, Cotten and Suber into custody and transported them to the Allegheny County Jail. McArthur posted $50,000 bail and Cotten posted $10,000 bail. Both men were released. Suber's bail was set at $40,000, which she was unable to post.

Caulfield held McArthur for court on charges of simple assault, terroristic threats with intent to terrorize another, conspiracy-terrorist threats with intent to terrorize another, tamper with/fabricate physical evidence and possession of a weapon. Charges of receiving stolen property and conspiracy-receiving stolen property were withdrawn. A charge of firearms not to be carried without a license was dismissed.

Cotten was held for court on charges of possession of a firearm-prohibited, simple assault, terroristic threats with intent to terrorize another, conspiracy-terroristic threats with intent to terrorize another, tamper with/fabricate physical evidence and possessing an instrument of crime with intent. A charge of conspiracy-receiving stolen property was withdrawn.

Suber was held for court on charges of simple assault, obstruct administration of law/other government function, conspiracy-simple assault and terroristic threats with intent to terrorize another.

Swissvale police filed all the charges against the three.

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