Gun Left at Hotel Lands Two Men in County Jail

Two local men face a number of charges after they tried to retrieve a gun left in a room at the America's Best Value Inn on University Boulevard in Moon.

Moon Township police charged Deno Alfred Berardi, 19, of Coraopolis with two counts of persons not to possess, use, manufacture, control, sell or transfer firearms; and one count each of criminal conspiracy, delivery of heroin, possession with intent to deliver, escape, possession, possession of paraphernalia and drivers required to be licensed.

Calvin Marquis Taylor, 20, of Stowe Township faces charges of persons not to possess, use manufacture, control, sell or transfer firearms; conspiracy-possession of firearm prohibited; and escape, filed by Moon police.

According to a police report, an employee of America's Best Value Inn called police about 1 p.m. to report that a stainless, .32 caliber, semi-automatic pistol with the magazine still in the gun had been recovered in one of the guest rooms, which had been rented by Taylor. Police determined the gun was not stolen, although the owner could not be identified.

The hotel employee then called police again after hearing from Taylor, who said he wanted to retrieve something left in the room. Police were on the scene when Taylor went to the front desk while another man, identified as Berardi, went to the room, opened the door and came back out.

The two took off after spotting police. A foot pursuit ensued through the backyards on Rosemont Drive. Police apprehended Taylor and continued to look for Berardi. A police K-9 dog tracked Berardi to the back of the Moon Township Road Department building on Stevenson Mill Road, then across Business Route 376 onto Halverson Road within the Pittsburgh International Airport property.

Berardi, who also led officers from across the region on a high-speed car chase in February 2012, was later taken into custody.

The car, which the two left at the hotel, was owned by a woman who had loaned it to Berardi. Police got a consent from her to search the car and turned up a black book bag containing a digital scale with what was believed to be narcotic residue, a phone charger, two large bundles of stamp bags and $3,000 in currency wrapped in layers of bags.

In a hidden compartment, police also found 12 white stamp bags of heroin.

Berardi and Taylor remain in Allegheny County Jail as of May 2, unable to post $25,000 bail each. Both men face a preliminary hearing before District Judge Mary P. Murray at 9:30 a.m. May 7.

___________________

"Like" Patch on Facebook | Follow us on Twitter | Get our email newsletter