May 11—WATSONTOWN — An employee of Watsontown Health and Rehab is facing criminal trespassing charges after allegedly causing a scene at the business twice and then allegedly attempting to steal a grill at a borough residence, according to Watsontown Police Department.
Yuriy Gussev, 26, of Main Street, Watsontown, was charged in two separate cases with a felony count of criminal trespass; three misdemeanors: one count of criminal trespass and three counts of possession of a controlled substance; and two summary counts of public drunkenness. The charges were filed by Watsontown Patrolman David Podgorney in the Milton office of District Judge Michael Diehl.
At 8:30 a.m. April 29, Podgorney received a phone call from Ashley Williams of Watsontown Health and Rehab, at 245 E. Eighth St., reporting that Gussev, a current employee, was acting erratically and looking for lost medication. When police arrived, Gussev was allegedly frantically searching through his coat and said he had lost his prescription medication for ADHD, said police.
Gussev, upon request from the officer, exited the building and told police he was tired from working a double shift. Podgorney transported Gussev to his home in Watsontown, said police.
Podgorney said Gussev appeared to be under the influence of narcotics. He was "acting erratically, he was shaking, his pupils were dilated and I could see blue powder on the inside of his right nostril," said police.
Podgorney told Gussev that he believed he crushed his medication in order to ingest it via snorting, according to the police report.
Gussev took out his wallet, telling the officer he was going to draw him a picture of the medication. While going through his wallet, several small plastic bags allegedly fell onto the sidewalk. Gussev said he uses the bags to store his medication, said police.
Gussev was permitted to return to his apartment and told not to return to his place of employment. Less than an hour later at 9:30 a.m., Podgorney was dispatched again to the Watsontown Health and Rehab, police said.
Gussev was allegedly found inside the building's kitchen. He allegedly told police he didn't remember the instructions to not return, police said.
Gussev left without further incident at the business, police said.
Less than 90 minutes later at 10:53 a.m., Podgorney was dispatched to a residence for a report of a man — later identified as Gussev — allegedly entering the residence without permission and attempting to take a grill, police said.
Jay Dunlap reported that he was sleeping when he heard his front door open. He found Gussev allegedly standing in his living room. Dunlap yelled at Gussev to leave, but Gussev started to speak in another language and with slurred speech, police said.