Morning roundup: Mars man jailed after allegedly soliciting sex from group posing as minors

Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Friday, July 7:

Mars man accused of soliciting sex from minors

A Mars man has been charged with trying to solicit sex from two decoys posing as teenage girls.

Adams Township police charged Dale Wahl Pine, 61, with permitting a child to photograph, film or depict on computer a sex act, corruption of minors, and criminal use of a communication facility, court records show.

Pine is in Butler County Prison, unable to post $25,000 bail, court records show. He has a preliminary hearing scheduled for July 18.

Police apprehended Pine after they got a call from a nonprofit in Clearfield County, 814 Pred Hunters, Tribune-Review news partner WPXI reported Friday morning. The group handed police evidence they had against Pine.

The organization set up fake accounts as decoys on social media apps to find child predators, WPXI reported. The CEO of 814 Pred Hunters said Pine was talking to two decoys acting as 15-year-old girls.

According to the criminal complaint, when the decoy told Pine she was only 15, he replied saying, “ok interested.”

Police said Pine sent one of the decoys naked photos and sexually explicit comments. The CEO of the organization said Pine took it a step further and tried to send the decoy money.

Since last year, the organization has been able to catch 67 alleged predators in Pennsylvania and one in Ohio.

Adams Township police are investigating.

Man hospitalized after being stabbed in East Liberty

A man was hospitalized Friday morning after being stabbed in Pittsburgh.

Police were called to the 100 block of Larimer Avenue in East Liberty to help the man, who was suffering from stab wounds to the chest, a Pittsburgh Public Safety spokesperson said.

EMS transported him to an area hospital in critical condition, and he was taken into surgery, the spokesperson said.

The Mobile Crime Unit processed evidence at the scene. Police are investigating.

McKeesport supermarket cited for rodent infestation

County health officials earlier this week reported that a McKeesport supermarket was infested with pests and had other safety issues.

According to the Allegheny County Health Department report, the Shop ‘n Save on 5th Avenue had multiple violations during a recent inspection, Tribune-Review news partner WPXI reported.

Food was contaminated by pests with urine on and in cookies, tortillas and nuts, the report said.

At least five aisles had droppings on multiple shelves, the report said. Multiple dead rodents were found in traps across the store.

The health department made several recommendations to correct the problems.