Criminal Justice

Lehigh County Judge Thomas Capehart denied the appeal of Patrick Palmer, who argued election staff should accept his paperwork because he paid a filing fee on time.

Patrick Palmer, an Allentown School Board director, argued in Lehigh County Court he should not be denied a spot on the primary ballot. County officials ruled he missed the March 7 filing deadline by a matter of seconds.

Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro’s nominees for attorney general and state police commissioner received unanimous approval from the Pennsylvania’s Republican-controlled Senate.

Lehigh Valley Health Network was victimized in a cybersecurity attack last month. The network said it refused to pay a ransom. Now, patient information and photos have been posted on the dark web, according to LVHN.

The force, made up of municipal, county and federal investigators, is designed to fight the sexual exploitation of children in the county, along with human trafficking more broadly.

Marc Muffley was arrested at his home in Lansford, Carbon County, on Monday night. A hearing is set for Thursday afternoon in federal court in Allentown on charges that include possessing an explosive device at an airport.

On Thursday, Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin declared that a city police officer was justified in fatally shooting an armed man during a foot chase last month.

The FBI said Marc Muffley, 40, of Lansford, Carbon County, left the airport Monday after checking a bag that was to be loaded on an Allegiant flight from Allentown to Sanford, Fla.

Law enforcement officials seized dark clothing, medical gloves, a flashlight and other items from a Pennsylvania home where they arrested a graduate student charged with stabbing four University of Idaho students to death. That is according to newly unsealed court documents.

20-year-old Ceu Uk, of Charlotte, allegedly threatened a shooting in the Saucon Valley School District in response to an after-school Satan club being allowed to meet on district property.

Police charged two men with gun-related crimes in the downtown area. Eight people were hit by gunfire in the first incident, including one who required life-saving surgery, according to charging documents. The second, unrelated incident involved a man who allegedly fired into the ground.

Allentown police responded as two groups shot at each other on North Seventh Street, Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan said. Police also opened fire. Several people were taken to hospitals, according to the district attorney.

Roughly 2.9 million Americans' personal data was leaked this month in a National Public Data security breach. Some of the affected data includes Social Security numbers, mailing addresses and phone numbers.

The Easton-based attorney is accused of threatening an investigator in his driveway, then emailing threats saying if anyone showed up at his house again "they will not live (to) tell about it.”

Another joint enforcement between the Pennsylvania State Police and the Allentown Police Department — in the same location as other previous details on American Parkway — netted nearly as many offenders this week.

Newly appointed Hellertown Police Chief James Baitinger pledged to "work tirelessly and make a positive difference in the lives of people we serve and the lives of our police officers."

Lehigh County Commissioners in recent meetings discussed the need for action related to a dearth of beds for the county's detained juveniles.

Ethan Bastien, 22, should be released from Lehigh County Jail on Thursday, according to the District Attorney's Office.

Allegations include Vice detectives having relationships with prostitutes, stealing money during searches and interfering with local and federal investigations.

Authorities announced the arrest of a 55-year-old Whitehall man Saturday. The attack happened about 6:05 p.m. in the 1300 block of North 14th Street in Whitehall Township, authorities said.

An Easton woman has been arrested and charged with animal cruelty related to a shooting incident in Bethlehem, the Northampton County District Attorney’s Office announced Friday.

The Northampton County District Attorney’s Office on Wednesday announced the arrest of Matthew Torres in connection with a fatal crash on Stefko Boulevard in Bethlehem.