2 Mon Valley men jailed, accused of threatening man with stolen handgun

Two Mon Valley men were ordered to jail in lieu of $100,000 bond each after allegedly threatening a Monessen man with a stolen 9 mm handgun and then trying to hide it from city police.

Micah A. Craig, 23, of Charleroi, and Aliziah I. Feliberty, 20, of Monessen, were arrested after the incident in the 200 block of Linden Street and arraigned Saturday on multiple charges of aggravated assault, disorderly conduct, simple assault and making terroristic threats. Feliberty also is charged with illegal possession of a firearm, possession of marijuana, receiving stolen property and resisting arrest.

Officers Brandon Heinzelman and James Stoken reported in court documents filed before District Judge Wayne Vlasic that, when they arrived at the scene Friday evening to investigate a call for a disturbance, Feliberty began to flee with the handgun tucked into his waistband.

Heinzelman alleges in court papers that Craig allegedly threatened a relative who owns the Linden Street residence by pointing a gun at him. The victim told police Craig became angry after he instructed Craig and five companions to leave his house after detecting the smell of burned marijuana inside.

Witnesses told police that Craig handed the gun to Feliberty as they headed to their car, according to police reports.

Feliberty attempted to flee after Heinzelman ordered him out of the car and began patting him down, according to Stoken. As Heinzelman attempted to detain him, Stoken said officers saw Feliberty grabbing for the handgun tucked on the right side of his waistband.

“Officers were able to get control of Feliberty’s wrists after a struggle and were able to handcuff and detain him. The firearm was secured by Heinzelman and Feliberty was secured in a patrol car,” Stoken wrote.

According to court records, both men already face charges from previous arrests.

Feliberty has pending charges in Fayette County of fleeing and eluding, resisting arrest and 36 summary traffic citations after he allegedly fled state troopers in a car and led them on a chase that reached speeds of more than 100 miles per hour April 24. Police said Feliberty abandoned the vehicle and ran into the woods.

Troopers were able to identify Feliberty after he ran from his vehicle in the vicinity of Baer Road in Menallen Township, Fayette County, because of two photo identification cards he left in the car, including an employee identification card from a Belle Vernon plant where he worked.

According to online court dockets, Feliberty was scheduled to appear in Westmoreland County plea court Monday for an illegal possession of firearms and drug charges filed in 2019 by Jeannette police following a drug raid there. Court records indicate that Feliberty used to live in Jeannette and Florida.

Craig also has a pending charges of corruption of minors and illegal possession of a firearm pending in Westmoreland County filed by Monessen police in July 2019, according to court dockets.

Preliminary hearings on the most recent charges are scheduled Oct. 23 before Vlasic.