Criminal Justice

A new ordinance in Lehigh County solidifies an agreement with the state Transportation Department to get formerly incarcerated people official state IDs either right at release or soon after.

Brian C. McGoldrick, 42, of Glenside, on Tuesday received a sentence of 5-to-19 years in state prison in the death of Catherine Ann Neelon in a September 2022 head-on collision.

Scammers claiming to be from the Pennsylvania Treasury are calling residents who applied for a property tax or rent rebate.

Lehigh County introduced new wide-ranging non-discrimination legislation for housing, education, health care and public accommodations establishing new protected classes not included in state law such as sexual orientation, gender expression, disability, age, weight, citizenship status and marital status. Legislators appeared supportive but indicated there would be likely amendments before passage

Take a look at stories that ran throughout the week of which we are most proud, had a profound impact on readers or that you might want to look at again.

Lehigh County introduced a new agreement with the state Transportation Department to get released inmates official state IDs to reduce hardship when reentering society. The county is set to review the legislation for approval at the board's Nov. 8 meeting.

Officer Steidel and his furry partner assisted the city's Emergency Response Team in arresting a Bethlehem man with multiple arrest warrants.

The Lehigh County District Attorney's Office on Monday announced the recovery of more than $115,000 to a Salisbury Township man who was scammed during an online real estate transaction earlier this year.

Lehigh Valley Anti-Trafficking Week, a collective effort to address the issue of human trafficking and give voices to survivors, will have a week of events to raise awareness in the local community.

The settlement includes a controversial confidentiality clause, criticized for discouraging reporting. The complainant, who remains anonymous, alleges Vereb made inappropriate comments during her brief tenure.

According to a release issued by ICE, Luis Gualdron-Gualdron, “a citizen and national of Venezuela who previously entered the United States without inspection,” was arrested on Jan. 31 without incident near the prison shortly after an immigration detainer was not honored.

Neighbors say a state police pursuit came to a dramatic conclusion at approximately 11:56 p.m., with one car on the street engulfed in flames.

David Isaiah Rivera, 26, was arraigned on charges alleging he fired at a group of people around 4 a.m. outside BKK Lounge, 1500 Union Boulevard, after a fight between two groups inside the club spilled into the parking lot.

A 32-year-old man died and three other people were wounded in a shooting in the parking lot of BKK Lounge, 1500 Union Blvd., early Sunday, according to Allentown police. It was the city's first homicide of 2025.

Jason Krasley, the former Allentown police officer already facing felony charges in two cases, was charged again Thursday, according to court documents. His total bail adds up to almost $1 million.

Brenda Rodriguez, 51, of Palmerton is charged with criminal solicitation/criminal homicide and conspiracy-aggravated assault in the shooting death of her husband, Hector Manuel Garcia Gomez, 46, of Palmerton on Dec. 7.

Joshua and Tracy Dechant were charged Sunday with two felony counts each, Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan said in a release.

Evan Weaver and Jason Krasley were in Lehigh County Court, where their lawyers argued Thursday against Lehigh County prosecutors' motion to revoke their bail.

According to a release, John C. Miles, of Palmerton, Carbon County, has been charged in the incident that took place Monday, Nov. 11, 2024.

The “No Hate in Our State” town hall, organized by the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, is scheduled for noon Saturday at POWER Interfaith, 620 Hamilton St.

Federal prosecutors dismissed criminal charges alleging Tighe Scott assaulted police outside the U.S. Capitol Building. The decision stems from President Donald Trump's executive order pardoning more than 1,000 people convicted in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol and all ongoing dismissing ongoing prosecutions.

Francis Anonia, a former Parkland High School performing arts teacher, was arraigned in Lehigh County Court on Friday morning on charges he used his cell phone multiple times to secretly record a male student in a school changing room in 2022. If found guilty of all 19 charges, he could face up to 88 years in prison.