dme court

CRANBERRY TWP — Burglary, assault and other charges Cranberry Township police filed against a Portuguese man, who court officials said is being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, were held for court Friday in a preliminary hearing.

District Judge Kevin Flaherty held all charges against Everton M. Da Silva, 37, who is being held in the Butler County prison in lieu of $15,000 bail, for court. Charges of burglary, simple assault, harassment and two counts of terroristic threats police filed following a Dec. 7, 2005, incident were held for Common Pleas Court.

Two people testified against Da Silva, including Samantha Lerda, who said she ended her on and off relationship with Da Silva the day before the incident. She said she was awakened around 4:30 a.m. by someone knocking on the doors and windows of her apartment.

She said she entered the living room and encountered Da Silva who entered through a back door. She said she told him to leave, but he pushed her to the floor and attacked her friend, Leandro De Souza, who was sleeping on her couch, she said.

De Souza tried to flee through the front door, but Da Silva threw him to the floor, she said. De Souza managed to escape through the back door with Da Silva chasing him, she said.

Da Silva returned to the apartment and she said she let him in to retrieve his car keys. She said he hit her in the face, dragged her into her bedroom and tried to remove her pants before police arrived.

De Souza testified he heard knocking on the back door, and Da Silva entered, pushed Lerda and punched him. He said he pushed Da Silva back before running outside. He said Da Silva told him he would kill him if he returned.

During his confrontation with Da Silva in the apartment, De Sousa said he fell and cut his finger on some broken glass.

He said he went to a hospital and asked staff to call police because he didn’t have his phone with him. He said he had injuries to his finger, knee and ribs.

An interpreter was used to interpret for Da Silva and De Souza.