-
Tom Shortell/LehighValleyNews.comLehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan announced more than 100 additional criminal charges Wednesday against County Commissioner Zachary Cole-Borghi. -
Screenshot/YouTube/Lehigh County Board of Commissioners MeetingLengthy criminal complaints contained more than 150 pages of transcripts of messages allegedly sent between Cole-Borghi and cooperating sources for the prosecution. Those messages show negotiations on the price of drugs, including marijuana/THC products and cocaine, as well as arranging for delivery and purchase.
-
Body camera footage caught Phil Racciato identifying Christopher Ferrante to police as the alleged drug supplier who he says routinely provided his son Michael "Mikey" Racciato with illicit drugs. -
Prosecutors presented data pulled from the cell phones of former state champion Pen Argyl wrestler Michael Racciato and defendant Christopher Ferrante, who stands accused of providing the fentanyl that led to Racciato's death in a Lower Nazareth Township parking lot.
-
Michael "Mikey" Racciato's father recounted the events leading up to his son's death in December 2020, including multiple overdoses, visits to rehab facilities and eventually discovering his son dead from a fentanyl overdose.
-
Northampton County's district attorney's office is touting $168,000 in drug money that law enforcement has confiscated.
-
The trial of Christopher Ferrante, charged in connection with the overdose death of Michael Racciato, began Monday. The case attracted scrutiny during the race for Northampton County District Attorney earlier this year.
-
Lawyers for Christopher Ferrante, charged with drug delivery resulting in death, told the court Monday he conducted at least two undercover drug buys for Allentown police.
-
The Salisbury Township Police Department is using humor on Facebook to foster connections and bridge a gap to reach people of all ages across the township and beyond. But there's a purpose to their punchlines, and the attention they've garnered seems to be working.
-
Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk said during the holiday that there were "consequences coming" to violators, but Allentown police say there was just a single citation related to fireworks during the holiday.
-
An altercation between groups of people at a Taco Bell and Autozone in Allentown led to gunfire and one death. One man has been deemed not criminally responsible, and another has been charged with attempted homicide.
-
Police say a gunman in a bulletproof vest has opened fire on the streets of Philadelphia, killing five people and wounding two boys before he surrendered to responding officers. The shootings took place over several city blocks, and dozens of spent shell casings were found.
-
This week Lehigh County Controller, Mark Pinsley, called for criminal justice reform.
-
Pennsylvania Senate Democrats are doubling down on police reform. This month, they proposed more than a dozen bills to ensure police accountability.
-
As the 4th of July holiday approaches, calls for increased policing in Allentown - on setting off fireworks - dominated a city council meeting this week. WLVR’s Tyler Pratt reports.
-
Calls for reforms to policing continue across the U.S. In the Lehigh Valley citizens are demanding that departments release their use-of-force policies. As WLVR’s Tyler Pratt reports, Bethlehem released its policy this week. But Allentown officials are taking more time.
-
From the White House to Pennsylvania’s state capital, government officials are facing mounting pressure to address police brutality. Hasshan Batts of Promise Neighborhoods in Allentown says the criminal justice system is the human rights issue of our time.
-
Erie officials on Monday said they are imposing a three-day suspension on a city police officer who was captured on video kicking a woman during a protest in the wake of the George Floyd killing.
-
Legislation aimed at reducing police brutality in Pennsylvania is moving through the state House.The move comes a week after Black lawmakers protested on the chamber floor, calling for action on more than a dozen proposals.
-
Calls for reform in police departments echo across the country. The city of Allentown has begun conversations with Black Live Matter activists who want to see increased transparency from law enforcement.
-
Members of the Lehigh Valley Black Lives Matter chapter met with Allentown’s mayor and head of law enforcement last week with demands for increased police transparency and use-of-force policy reforms.
-
Justan Fields, a 36-year-old full-time worker, student and father of two, said he thought only 10 people would show up. Instead hundreds rallied and marched to city hall demanding social justice.
-
Ramona is a 5-year-old companion dog at the Lehigh County Courthouse. Her role is to help ease the trauma of testifying in court.
-
Local members of Black Lives Matter say they will meet this week with Allentown’s mayor and police chief to discuss ways to increase diversity in the police department Allentown’s head of law enforcement says policing needs to change.
