Hearing postponed for suspects in N. Charleroi incident
Derek Sapp exits district court in Charleroi Thursday.
Jaron Satterwhite covers his face as he emerges from court Thursday in Charleroi.
Donte Warner is escorted from district court in Charleroi on Thursday.
CHARLEROI – A preliminary hearing was postponed Thursday for three suspects, one of whom faces charges he held a gun to the head of a 6-year-old boy, in what police called a botched drug deal last month in North Charleroi.
The hearing was continued by District Judge Larry Hopkins in Charleroi for two reasons, said Dennis Paluso, first assistant district attorney in Washington County.
One of the alleged gunmen, Jaron Satterwhite, 22, of 331 E. Main St., Homestead, showed up in court without an attorney. The attorney for the second alleged gunman, Donte Warner, 23, of 648 Kelly Ave., Pittsburgh, wanted a continuance after Charleroi Regional police added a charge of illegal possession of a firearm against her client. The third man charged in the case, Derek Scott Sapp, 27, of 709 Rear Lincoln Ave., North Charleroi, was prepared to be represented at the hearing by a Washington County public defender.
The investigation began about 4:45 p.m. April 21 when police were dispatched to 715 Monongahela St. for a call that a child was being held at gunpoint.
All three men had scattered by the time police arrived. Officers were told Satterwhite said he had killed before and also aimed a 9mm handgun and threatened to kill four people inside the home, according to the affidavit supporting the criminal charges in the case.
Police used a helicopter and a local firefighter’s drone to search for Warner, who was located in a field with a cellphone stolen from one of the alleged victims after he called his mother to complain about having two broken legs. He was flown to Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, released the same day and arrived at Hopkins’ office without casts on his legs.
Police apprehended Satterwhite walking in the 500 block of Monongahela Street about 20 minutes after they were dispatched. Meanwhile, Sapp was taken into custody in an alley near Route 88 and Liberty Avenue, allegedly in possession of a bookbag filled with more than a pound of marijuana.
Satterwhite faces charges of aggravated assault, robbery, reckless endangerment, carrying a firearm without a license, receiving stolen property in the form of a handgun and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Warner also was charged with robbery and receiving stolen property, while Sapp faces charges of drug possession with intent to deliver, drug possession, flight and possession of drug paraphernalia.
All three men were returned Thursday to Washington County jail, each on $1 million bond.
Hopkins rescheduled their hearing for 9 a.m. May 25.