Fake Cash, Real Refunds: NY Men Accused Of Retail Theft Spree Across 16 PA Counties
Four New York men are accused of turning counterfeit cash into real money through a retail theft scheme spanning 16 Pennsylvania counties, Attorney General Dave Sunday announced on Thursday, Nov. 5.
The group allegedly used fake bills to purchase merchandise at major retailers, then returned the items to collect legitimate cash refunds, according to the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General.
The suspects — Fitzroy James, Fabian Coke, Gabriel Young, and Christopher Nicholas — allegedly made more than $20,000 in purchases or attempted purchases using counterfeit money at Kohl's, Target, Hom…
‘Bounty’ On Missing Man Led To Kidnapping; 2 Charged With Murder: Reading Police
A Pennsylvania man with a “bounty” placed on his head was lured into an alley, assaulted, and later handed over to two armed men now facing murder charges, police announced Thursday, Oct. 22.
Luke Foxx, 21, and Josiah Vaux, 23, were taken into custody in connection with the disappearance of Michael Petrino Jr., who was reported missing by family members in western Lebanon County in late March, according to Reading police.
Both men face second-degree murder, kidnapping, and related charges following a seven-month investigation, police said. Reading officers and the United States Marshals Ser…
Girl Raped Starting At 7 Years Old By Myerstown Man Who Hid In Hospital, DA Says
A Myerstown man is accused of raping a girl over a two-year span, Lebanon County District Attorney Pier Hess Graf announced on Monday, Sept. 22.
Christopher Barto, 55, was arrested on Wednesday, Sept. 10, after Pennsylvania State Police investigated a Childline tip that he possessed child pornography, according to the DA’s Office.
Barto confessed to sexually assaulting a girl between the ages of 7 and 9, police said. He was charged with Rape of a Child, Unlawful Contact with Minors, Sexual Assault, Indecent Assault, Corruption of Minors, Endangering the Welfare of Children, and Indecent Exp…
12-Year-Old Escapes After Year Of Abuse At Hands Of Mom, Boyfriend: Lebanon County DA
A 12-year-old girl fled to a friend’s home with bruises, cuts, and a black eye after enduring more than a year of alleged abuse in Cleona, Lebanon County detectives announced on Monday, Sept. 22.
The girl told investigators that her mother’s boyfriend, Reagan Thach, repeatedly beat her with objects including a curtain rod, lamp, and phone charger cord, and forced her to write “sets” of phrases for hours, according to the District Attorney’s Office. When dissatisfied with her handwriting, he allegedly assaulted her again.
Her mother, Mai Tran, is accused of knowing about the ongoing abuse an…
Lebanon County Man Shared Child Porn, Feds Say
A 35-year-old man from Lebanon County has been indicted on federal charges for distributing and possessing child pornography, authorities said.
Stephen Okamoto, of Lebanon, was charged by grand jury indictment on Wednesday, March 6, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
Prosecutors say Okamoto distributed child porn images and videos on November 13, 2023, and was later caught with additional material on February 8, 2024.
The charges are part of Project Safe Childhood, a national initiative launched by the Department of Justice to crack down on the…
