Jun. 5—LARKSVILLE — A Hunlock Township man detained on suspicion of stealing candy and beef jerky from Sheetz took it a step further when he allegedly brandished a firearm and threatened to kill police officers early Saturday morning.

Joseph Xavier Cimilluca, 23, of White Oak Drive, pulled out what police believed was a .357 caliber long barrel handgun with his finger on the trigger in the vestibule of the store on state Route 11 just before 2:30 a.m., according to court records.

After Cimilluca was shackled following a struggle, police verified the handgun was a pellet gun.

Cimilluca threatened to kill police officers saying, "Kill you all if you don't (expletive) give me my (expletive) back right now," court records say.

Officers had to physically pick up and carry Cimilluca when he refused to walk into the Larksville Police Department where, court records say, he again threatened to kill officers.

According to the criminal complaint:

Cimilluca was inside the store and placed a bag of Skittles and beef jerky inside a shopping bag of another customer. Cimilluca told the customer he will get the items outside.

The customer notified the store manager, who approached Nanticoke police officers inside the store on their meal break.

Police from Larksville arrived at the store and detained Cimilluca after finding the candy and beef jerky.

Cimilluca was initially laughing but became agitated when told by police he would be charged with retail theft.

Police in court records say Cimilluca reached into a duffel bag he was carrying and pulled out what officers believed was a .357 caliber handgun with his finger on the trigger.

Officers tackled Cimilluca to the floor of the vestibule as the handgun was picked up and taken outside where it was confirmed the gun was a pellet gun.

"Officers believed up to that point that the firearm was real and their lives as well as the lives of others in the store were in imminent danger," the complaint says.

Cimilluca was arraigned by District Judge Brian J. Tupper in Kingston Township on four counts of terroristic threats, three counts of simple assault, two counts of retail theft and one count each of possession instruments of crime, reckless endangering, disorderly conduct and possession of drug paraphernalia. Cimilluca was jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility without bail as Tupper deemed him a threat to the public.

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