Police bust alleged moonshine makers in Pennsylvania

MCDONALD, Pa., April 23 (UPI) -- Police in Pennsylvania said they responded to a report of two men burning something in a shed and discovered an alleged moonshine making operation.

McDonald police said Midway residents called officers to their neighborhood April 11 with a report of neighbors burning something in a shed and one witness told police he suspected they were making moonshine because he had seen a man loading Mason jars into a vehicle, The (Washington, Pa.) Observer reported Tuesday.

Police said they entered the shed to discover Matthew Zirwas III, 33, and Matthew Kirks, 29, operating what appeared to be an ethanol or moonshine distillery.

Police said the man admitted they had been making moonshine in the shed.

Zirwas and Kirks were both charged with five counts of reckless endangerment and one count each of failure to have a license to make liquor, illegal possession of liquor, disorderly conduct and possession of marijuana.