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Social Workers Chased with Knife

May 18, 2009 permalink

After John Michael Simon finished his probation he must have thought his ordeal was over, but social workers continued to harass him. Last week he lost it and chased them from his apartment with a knife.

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The Times Leader, May 19

Cops: Man menaces caseworkers

John Michael Simon faces assault, other charges for allegedly carrying a knife while chasing wokers.

By Edward Lewis elewis@timesleader.com, Staff Writer

LUZERNE – Two Luzerne County Children and Youth caseworkers were chased out of an apartment by a man carrying a knife on Friday, Swoyersville police said.

Police said John Michael Simon, 50, of Bennett Street, Luzerne, was charged with four counts of simple assault, and two counts each of recklessly endangering another person and terroristic threats for allegedly chasing the two female caseworkers. He was arraigned by District Judge William Amesbury in Wilkes-Barre and remained jailed at the county prison on Monday for lack of $5,000 bail.

According to the criminal complaint filed by officer Wesley B. Manfre:

Two child caseworkers arrived at Simon’s apartment Friday night on a follow-up investigation. Simon invited the caseworkers inside and knew they wanted to speak with a woman residing at the apartment with her children.

Simon became upset saying, “I want these (expletives) out of my house,” and started playing with a folding knife in addition to making threats, the criminal complaint says.

The caseworkers began gathering their belongings to leave when Simon allegedly took the knife out of his pocket and chased the caseworkers out. The caseworkers claimed Simon continued to yell while he was chasing them.

According to Luzerne County court records, Simon was sentenced in January 2008 to one-year probation on a charge of corruption of minors for kissing and exposing himself to a then 9-year-old girl in November 2006.

Under a negotiated plea deal, prosecutors withdrew charges of indecent assault and endangering the welfare of children against Simon.

One of the caseworkers told police, the complaint says, that she was scared and believed Simon was going to stab her and the other caseworker said she was scared to death.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled on May 21 in Central Court.

Edward Lewis, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 829-7196.

Source: Wilkes-Barre Times Leader

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