Criminal Justice

Pennsylvania House Democrats are putting their freshly minted majority status to work in shutting down Republican efforts to make changes to legislation designed to let victims of childhood sexual abuse file otherwise outdated lawsuits.

A 28-year-old man is charged with multiple drug crimes after a raid Friday by the Northampton County Drug Task Force. Authorities say they also recovered a stolen firearm.

Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro says he won't allow Pennsylvania to execute any inmates while he is in office and calls for the state's lawmakers to repeal the death penalty.

Nothstein, 52, will spend a year on probation after he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge in Lehigh County Court on Wednesday, in a case that involved his ex-girlfriend.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives released a major report on stolen guns.

Pennsylvania lawmakers are considering a host of changes to the state’s cannabis laws that would expand who is eligible for a medical marijuana card.

A 20-year-old Coplay man fatally shot by Allentown police on Friday had multiple gunshot wounds, an autopsy report from the Lehigh County Coroner's Office said.

Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin said police recovered a semiautomatic handgun from the man, as well as shell casings believed to have been fired from the weapon. No officers were hurt, but a projectile nicked an officer's bulletproof vest, Martin said.

Police are stepping up DUI enforcement for Super Bowl weekend. Each year, there’s a spike in the number of car crashes immediately following the Super Bowl than what is typical for a Sunday night.

Part of Route 412 in South Bethlehem had been closed early Monday after police found a gunshot victim.

A police officer discharged his firearm in an armed confrontation with the victim, who shot himself during the encounter Saturday night in Wind Gap, according to Pennsylvania State Police.

Forest Touchberry, 31, was pronounced dead Thursday at 3:29 p.m. in the emergency department of St. Luke’s Hospital, Sacred Heart Campus, according to Lehigh County Coroner Dan Buglio.

A proposed ordinance to essentially decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana in Easton failed to pass at Wednesday's meeting, with the discussion prompting impassioned debates on the topic.

John Gehrmann, 44, was charged with three third-degree misdemeanor counts of harassment, with a criminal complaint stating he was involved in the continued harassment of person he suspected of playing a part in his stepdaughter’s disappearance.

Enci “Aubrey” Wu was last seen on Jan. 11 in the vicinity of MacArthur Road in Whitehall Township, where she was seeking transportation and/or funds from strangers in order to leave Lehigh County, according to the release.

Collectively, the shipments destined for Allentown and Whitehall were valued at $28,550 had the cosmetics been genuine, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers said.

Alberto Jose Rios-Santiago, 26, of Deltona, Florida, was denied bail Friday by a Lehigh County judge.

The man suffered multiple traumatic injuries after he was hit by a car Friday morning, but he is expected to survive, police said.

Evan Weaver and Jason Krasley were released in January after posting 10% of their $900,000 and $750,000 bail amounts.

Former Hellertown police chief Robert Shupp pleaded guilty to charges of theft and forgery for stealing tens of thousands of dollars from borough coffers.

New South Whitehall Township Chief of Police Frank J.C. Lombardo, a former captain with the South Brunswick, New Jersey, Township Police Department, possesses decades of experience in law enforcement.

Elijah Patterson, 19, of Allentown, was found guilty by a Lehigh County jury after a three-day trial, District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan said.