Criminal Justice

In a statement released through U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie's office, ICE says Northampton County has a policy of not fully cooperating with the agency, placing agents and the public at risk. County Executive Lamont McClure disagrees.

Alberto Jose Rios-Santiago, 26, was arrested Thursday in Florida and is awaiting extradition, authorities said.

Congressman Ryan Mackenzie has accused Northampton County of not cooperating with ICE, while County Executive Lamont McClure has argued the legislator does not grasp the complexity of the situation.

Easton Police Chief Carl Scalzo spoke out against a proposed "welcoming city" ordinance, saying it could be seen as a beacon for criminal activity in the city and make police officers' jobs more difficult.

An Allentown man was sentenced on Tuesday to 18-to-60 months in state prison in the accidental death of his 3-year-old son, who shot himself with an unattended gun.

Allentown officers responded to BKK Lounge more than two dozen times since July 2023, according to Police Chief Charles Roca. But police did not pass along any complaints about the business to officials in charge of nuisance abatement.

U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, wants to know how a former Allentown vice officer was hired by the U.S. Center for SafeSport despite sex-crime allegations in his past.

While the arrest of a suspected Venezuelan gang member outside Northampton County Prison in late January was timely, it was not directly tied to President Trump's recent executive orders on illegal immigration.

Pedro Junior Paulino, 35, was charged alongside David Isaiah Rivera, 26, with homicide and attempted homicide after four people were shot Feb. 2 outside BKK Lounge in Allentown.

Easton City Councilwoman Taiba Sultana is making a move to codify pro-immigrant policies just after Allentown's council passed a similar measure days ago.

Police said they have yet to locate a murder weapon. But they indicated the arrest of Bryan Christopher Kohberger, 28, in the Poconos early Friday was a breakthrough. “What I can tell you is we have an individual in custody who committed these horrible crimes and I do believe our community is safe,” Police Chief James Fry said.

The child died Tuesday after he was shot in the basement of an Allentown home. Authorities said his 10-year-old brother accidentally fired a handgun the boys found.

The victim in a Tuesday night shooting incident in Allentown was an 11-year-old child shot by his 10-year-old brother, police and the Lehigh County District Attorney's Office said.

Pennsylvania State Police have arrested and charged a Glenside, Montgomery County, man with two second-degree felonies, other charges.

A three-car crash in Lower Macungie almost exactly a year ago has now resulted in several charges including homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence.

Bethlehem Police promised more than $1M of the money, for body-cams and retention bonuses. Some of the money will go to justice initiatives and safety programs.

Games for Gunz, a new gun buyback program in Allentown is looking to specifically target teen gun violence by offering video game consoles in return for firearms.

Lehigh County commissioners approved a nearly $1 million contract with long-term vendor Lehigh Valley Pretrial Services Inc. though several commissioners and the county controller raised concerns about transparency.

Attorney General Josh Shapiro has announced the charges against 30 individuals and 21 businesses located in Lehigh, Lebanon and Philadelphia counties. They are accused of “title washing” and re-titling stolen vehicles.

The Community Connections Partnership joins social workers from the city's Health Bureau with police officers to connect people who need help with social services. The police chief says the program has been successful, but the idea is not universally popular.

After 65 years, the Philadelphia Police Department has finally identified the victim in the city’s oldest unsolved homicide case as 4-year-old Joseph Augustus Zarelli, of West Philadelphia.

An anonymous donor gifted Northampton County's Department of Corrections a 2-year-old Labrador to assist with examining seized property.