Criminal Justice

Easton City Council has officially adopted a change that will see possession and use of small amounts of marijuana reduced to a citation and fine as opposed to a misdemeanor crime.

Earlier Wednesday, Bethlehem Police Department said in a release that shortly before 7 a.m., it "received a courtesy notification from agents with the Department of Homeland Security that federal agents were actively searching" for the individual. The search involved the area of the 500 block of East 3rd Street, police said.

Between March 2020 and September 2023, Louis Belletieri transferred millions from an escrow account to his personal and business accounts, according to federal prosecutors.

More than a dozen volunteers on Tuesday committed their service to the community’s schoolchildren who find themselves at odds with the law for the first time.

Jason Krasley also is due to stand trial on numerous charges stemming from alleged sexual assaults in 2011 and 2015 when he served on the city’s Vice and Intelligence Unit.

Eileen Miller, whose son Paul Miller was killed in a collision by a distracted driver, on Friday spoke on a piece of legislation that bans the use of handheld devices while driving in Pennsylvania.

An Allentown woman was charged with possession of a quarter pound of synthetic opioid fentanyl, District Attorney Stephen Baratta announced Wednesday.

Authorities including District Attorney Stephen Baratta and the Palmer Township Police have confirmed a man was apprehended and charged for shooting and killing his in-laws at a 55+ community Tuesday night.

Latasha Santiago, 36, pleaded guilty in March to conspiracy tocommit robbery, a first-degree felony, in the Oct. 17, 2020, shooting death of Christian Lopez-Rodriguez, 21, of Allentown.

LaTarsha Brown is accused of falsely reporting that she found a noose Jan. 10 on her desk in the city’s Department of Community and Economic Development.

Several signature displays — valued at more than $60,000 — were unsalvageable and declared “total losses" after vandals struck over the weekend at Lights in the Parkway, according to officials.

“Every time someone makes the intentional decision to get behind the wheel intoxicated, they endanger every person they encounter on the roadway,” Attorney General Dave Sunday said. “I have seen far too many tragedies caused by completely avoidable vehicle crashes rooted to DUI.”

Lights in the Parkway will be closed Sunday night after significant vandalism caused extensive damage to holiday light displays and park facilities at Lehigh Parkway, according to Allentown officials.

Currently authorized to employ 154 officers, the city department has 138 on the roster, but only 127 can report for work for various reasons, Chief Michelle Kott told City Council during a Nov. 20 budget hearing.

Prosecutors finally shared details of the charges with some defendants after three-and-a-half months, but a court order bars them from disclosing any of the information publicly.

“These scammers have well-rehearsed scripts and are readily prepared to convincingly answer any question posed to them," Lehigh County Sheriff Joe Hanna said.

Lehigh County Commissioner Zachary Cole-Borghi is among dozens of people charged by the Lehigh County District Attorney's Office in a large-scale drug investigation announced in August.

Cristian Jimenez, 27, of Allentown, hit a fire hydrant and utility pole before crashing into the Lehigh Valley Logistics building on South Twelfth Street early Sunday morning, police said.

The pickup truck lost control near 12th and Vultee streets in Allentown and hit a fire hydrant, utility pole and the Lehigh Valley Logistics building at 1801 S. 12th St., according to state police.

Alfeni Romero-Tavares, 23, and Joel Garcia-Paulino, who turns 23 on Thursday, Dec. 4, both of Allentown, had preliminary hearings on felony counts of homicide and conspiracy to commit homicide and a misdemeanor charge of tampering with evidence.

Allentown must turn over records from former FBI agent Scott Curtis' probe of racism allegations within city government, but a second investigation can remain under wraps, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.

Former Parkland High School performing arts administrator Francis Anonia pleaded guilty Monday to 19 criminal counts for secretly recording a student changing clothes during rehearsals for a school musical.