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Man Charged With Rape In Pennsylvania Sentenced For Jan. 6 US Capitol Riot
A Cumberland County man sentenced to prison for assaulting police officers during the January 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot is also facing rape and domestic violence charges in York County.
Joseph Pastucci, 50, of New Cumberland, stormed the Capitol with his wife, Jeanette Mangia, who is currently awaiting trial for her role in the insurrection. Pastucci was sentenced to 26 months in prison and three years of supervised release after being convicted of obstruction of an official proceeding, civil disorder, assaulting officers, and several misdemeanor charges, according to federal prosecuto…
PA Man Found Dead In River By Dog Walker, Coroner Says
A 34-year-old man from Emmaus was found dead in Jordan Creek in Allentown, the Lehigh County Coroner's Office announced on Friday, Dec. 27.
Daniel Leibensperger, 34, was pronounced dead at 12:33 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 26, near the 1200 block of North 6th Street in Allentown, according to the coroner's office.
Leibensperger was reportedly found partly submerged in the creek by a passerby walking their dog, the coroner said.
An autopsy is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 30, at the Lehigh County Coroner’s Office and Forensic Center to determine the cause and manner of death.
The investigation is …
U.S. Attorney for Middle District of Pennsylvania Announces Resignation
Gerard M. Karam, the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, has announced his resignation, effective January 10, 2025. Appointed by President Biden in 2022, Karam described the role as "an honor of a lifetime" and expressed gratitude to federal and local law enforcement partners for their dedication to public safety and justice.
During his tenure, Karam prioritized public safety, healthcare fraud, civil rights enforcement, and tackling fraud and theft. His office prosecuted numerous high-profile cases, including:
A life sentence for a man convicted in the murder …
Armed Burglary, Standoff At PA Pharmacy On Christmas Eve Lands 2 Charges
Two men have been charged following an armed burglary and standoff with police at the Fountain Hill Pharmacy in Lehigh County on Christmas Eve, authorities announced Wednesday, Dec. 25.
Miguel Martinez, 56, of Allentown, and David Vazquez, 33, of Bethlehem, face multiple charges, including felony burglary, felony recklessly endangering another person, and several misdemeanors such as theft by unlawful taking, prohibited offensive weapon, and possessing an instrument of crime, according to Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan.
The charges stem from an incident at 1049 Broadway th…
Serial PA Bank Robber Caught Red-Handed Fleeing PNC Bank With $4K Cash: FBI
A suspected serial bank robber was apprehended moments after he fled the PNC Bank on Hulmeville Road with $4,000 in cash on Monday, Dec. 23, authorities announced on Tuesday, Dec. 24.
Marc Masich, 47, of Amherst, NY, was captured by officers outside the bank at 5:21 p.m. while carrying a gray-and-white bag containing the stolen money, according to Bensalem police.
Masich had handed a teller a demand note similar to one used earlier that day at the TD Bank on Street Road, where he reportedly fled after being told cash was unavailable. He also attempted a robbery at the Santander Bank…
Nurse Killed By Husband In Apparent Murder-Suicide In Pennsylvania Home
A woman was shot and killed by her husband before he took his own life in an apparent murder-suicide in Manor, according to the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office, WPXI Channel 11 News reports.
Police responded to a shooting at a home in Manor Township around 6:22 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 22, according to the outlet. Arriving officers discovered Terri Day, 51, dead from a gunshot wound, authorities said. Her husband, Jeffrey Day, was also found at the scene with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the Manor Borough Police Chief Randy Clarson told WPXI.
Theresa "Terri" Day was a beloved …
Chester County Man With Traumatic Brain Injury Pleads Guilty To Lancaster County Crime Spree
A Chester County man blamed a traumatic brain injury and addiction for his months-long crime spree across Lancaster County, which ended in a violent crash, prosecutors announced on Tuesday, Dec. 24.
James Steffy, 41, of West Ridge Road in West Nottingham Township, pleaded guilty to 35 charges, including aggravated assault by vehicle while driving under the influence, burglary, theft, and access device fraud, according to the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office.
Steffy suffered a traumatic brain injury that caused significant memory loss after crashing a stolen vehicle head-on into a…
State Employee Stole $130K From Mom Who Killed Both Her Sons In Pennsylvania: DA
A Philadelphia woman stole over $130,000 from a former Norristown State Hospital resident who was convicted of murdering her two young sons, using the funds for personal expenses, including a Puerto Rico vacation, officials announced on Monday, Dec. 23.
Bridget Nicole Compton, 51, is accused of stealing $132,480.01 from the TD Ameritrade account of Trinh Nguyen, a former Norristown State Hospital resident, officials in Bucks County, PA said. Nguyen is currently serving two life sentences for fatally shooting her sons, 13-year-old Jeffrey “JT” Tini and 9-year-old Nelson Tini, in their Upper M…
NJ 'Hot Shot' Murderess Found Dead In PA Prison Cell 3 Days After Probation Violation Arrest
A New Jersey woman convicted of murder, who admitted to injecting a man with a fatal mix of cocaine and bleach, was found dead in her cell at the State Correctional Institution at Muncy, officials announced.
Lisa Marie Stavish, 41, a Passaic, NJ native, was discovered unresponsive in her cell on Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, according to Wendy Nicholas, superintendent of SCI Muncy. Prison staff attempted life-saving measures until emergency responders arrived, but Stavish was pronounced dead at 6:07 a.m.
Stavish was serving a 7-to-20-year sentence for third-degree murder in the death of David…
PA Kingpin Linked to 12 Murders, Deadly Firebombing Spared Death Penalty by Biden
The life of a notorious Philadelphia drug kingpin has been spared as President Joe Biden commuted the death sentence of Kaboni Savage, who was convicted in 2013 for orchestrating the brutal firebombing of a family home that killed six people.
Savage, 49, was initially sentenced to death for the 2004 arson attack on the home of Eugene Coleman, a former associate who had begun cooperating with federal investigators. The fire killed Coleman's mother, infant son, and four other relatives, according to federal prosecutors.
Savage, a former boxer turned drug trafficker, was also found guilty of i…
Norovirus Outbreak Prompts Recall Of Oysters Sold In PA
New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Washington DC residents are being urged to avoid consuming certain oysters after a recall linked to a norovirus outbreak, federal officials announced.
The contaminated oysters were sold under the brands Fanny Bay, Buckley Bay, and Royal Miyagi and harvested between Dec. 1 and Dec. 9, 2024, from British Columbia (BC), Canada, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The oysters, distributed by S&M Shellfish Co. of San Francisco, were shipped to retailers and restaurants across several states, including New Jersey, New York, Pe…
Nine Puppies Abandoned In Box At Park Rescued By PA SPCA
Nine four-week-old puppies were found abandoned in a box at Merion Gateway Park in Montgomery County earlier this week, Pennsylvania SPCA officials announced.
The puppies, left out in the cold and unable to fend for themselves, were reportedly caked in feces, suffering from urine scalding, and in desperate need of care, according to a release from the organization.
“These puppies were given a heartbreaking start, but they now have a chance at a better life,” the SPCA wrote in a social media post.
Upon their arrival at the shelter, the puppies were gently bathed, medically examined, and…
Former Scranton Officer, School Resource Officer Accused Of Abusing Students Over Years: PA AG
A former Scranton police officer assigned as a school resource officer at West Scranton High School is facing 46 charges of sexually abusing five students over several years, Attorney General Michelle Henry announced on Friday, Dec. 20.
Stephen J. Carroll, 49, has been charged with rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, statutory sexual assault, official oppression, and institutional sexual assault, among other offenses, according to the Pennsylvania State Police and Attorney General's Office.
The alleged crimes occurred between 2009 and recent years while Carroll was employed as a S…
Former State College Psychologist Groomed, Sexually Assaulted Girl For Years: AG
A former State College-area psychologist groomed and sexually assaulted a young girl over an eight-year period, Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry announced on Thursday, Dec. 19.
Richard Lenhart, 63, of Bellefonte, used his position of trust to target the victim, sexually abusing her between 2005 and 2013 in the State College area, according to the Attorney General's office.
The victim testified during the trial that Lenhart began grooming her at a young age before subjecting her to repeated acts of sexual assault, including rape and indecent assault, the release states.
Lenhart …
Man Who Posed As Teen, Exploiting Children Sentenced: Lancaster County DA
A Lancaster County man has been sentenced to 2.5 to 10 years in state prison after admitting to sexually exploiting juveniles online and stockpiling an enormous collection of child pornography, the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office announced Friday, Dec. 20.
Kenneth Lee Schmidt, 46, of East Earl Township, pleaded guilty to 49 felony charges, including possession and dissemination of child pornography, solicitation of minors, and corruption of minors, prosecutors said.
Schmidt’s state sentence will run concurrently with the 35-year federal sentence he is already serving for related…
Philly-Area Musician 'Adored By All' Seriously Injured By Car, Fundraiser Says
A beloved musician throughout South Jersey and the greater Philadelphia area was badly injured when he was struck by a car, according to a fundraising campaign.
A GoFundMe page said Mark Yurkanin was rushed to Cooper University Hospital with serious injuries when he was hit on Tuesday, Dec. 10. Yurkanian lives in Collingswood, according to his Facebook profile.
The GoFundMe had raised more than $26,000 from at least 398 donations as of Friday, Dec. 20.
"Mark's music, smile, and loving nature have such a remarkable reach throughout the music community," wrote Alyssa Davidson, the …
