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Reading, PA

Reading Man Sentenced For Trying To Kill FBI Agents: Prosecutors Reading Man Sentenced For Trying To Kill FBI Agents: Prosecutors
Reading Man Sentenced For Trying To Kill FBI Agents: Prosecutors A Reading man was sentenced to 45 years in federal prison for the attempted murder of three FBI agents, according to the US Attorney's Office.  Rafael Vega-Rodriguez, 42, was also given five years of supervised release, a $4,500 fine, and an $800 special assessment, prosecutors said in a release on Wednesday, July 24.  Authorities said Vega-Rodriguez was wanted for a state parole violation when the agents spotted him on West Greenwich Street on March 1, 2020. They tried to stop him but Vega-Rodriguez drew a handgun from his waistband and opened fire as he fled, authorities …
Marijuana Scavenger Hunt At Reading Park Leads To Deadly Shooting: Police Marijuana Scavenger Hunt At Reading Park Leads To Deadly Shooting: Police
Marijuana Scavenger Hunt At Reading Park Leads To Deadly Shooting: Police A teen was shot in the back after finding a stash of marijuana hidden in City Park, according to Reading police.  Rafael Tinoco-Villagomez, 19, was struck by gunfire on July 10 and died from his injuries at Reading Hospital, authorities said.  Two suspects, 18-year-old Luis Rios and 16-year-old Jasir Escoto, are in custody as of Friday, July 26, police wrote in a release.  All three attended an event advertised on social media about marijuana being hidden in the park, investigators believe. Tinoco-Villagomez found it and was chased by Rios and Escoto before th…
Sex Offender Husband, Wife Face Child Pornography Charges: Berks County DA Sex Offender Husband, Wife Face Child Pornography Charges: Berks County DA
Sex Offender Husband, Wife Face Child Pornography Charges: Berks County DA A convicted sex offender and his Reading wife have been arrested on child pornography charges, according to the Berks County District Attorney's Office.  Dennis Deiter, 46, and Elizabeth Deiter, 34, both "admitted to utilizing their respective cellular telephones to view child pornography," prosecutors wrote in a release on Wednesday, July 24.  Detectives began investigating the pair after receiving a complaint from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, authorities said. The investigation led them to the Deiters' South 12th Street home where they e…
Reading Businessman Sold Fentanyl To Undercover Detectives, DA Says Reading Businessman Sold Fentanyl To Undercover Detectives, DA Says
Reading Businessman Sold Fentanyl To Undercover Detectives, DA Says Over a hundred fentanyl pills were seized in a Reading drug raid on Friday, July 12, according to the Berks County District Attorney's Office.  Gregory Borges, 60, was charged with drug and firearms offenses, prosecutors said.  Detectives began investigating Borges in May and made multiple controlled buys of fentanyl from his business Gshirt Inc. at 921 Penn Street, authorities wrote in a release.  "He was selling this lethal product and storing it at this location," the DA's Office said. Detectives obtained a search warrant for his business on Wednesday, July 10 and raided…
Mugshot Released Of Berks Man Accused Of Killing Neighbor Mugshot Released Of Berks Man Accused Of Killing Neighbor
Mugshot Released Of Berks Man Accused Of Killing Neighbor A photo of the West Lawn man accused of Gregory Cammer's murder. has been released by authorities  Angel Adames is charged with first-, second-, and third-degree homicide, according to court records.  Adames allegedly shot and killed 55-year-old Crammer in a first-floor apartment at 2105 Penn Avenue on June 25, Spring police have said. The 56-year-old suspect lived in the apartment upstairs and was arrested at the scene, according to officials.  Google Maps (Street View)/Inset: Spring Township Police Dept. Crammer's obituary says he was a "loving husband and father" w…
Teen Who Escaped Detention Center Caught In Stolen Car: PSP Levittown Teen Who Escaped Detention Center Caught In Stolen Car: PSP Levittown
Teen Who Escaped Detention Center Caught In Stolen Car: PSP Levittown The 16-year-old who climbed a fence at Berks County detention center over the weekend has been arrested, state police said Thursday, July 11. Dustin Lomas was taken into custody in Falls Township on Wednesday evening, July 10, troopers said. He was allegedly "an occupant" in a stolen car. Police said they took him to the Bucks County Youth Center. Lomas and 18-year-old Tyler Luntz escaped from Abraxas Academy in Morgantown on Saturday, July 6, troopers said previously. Luntz was arrested on Monday night, July 8 at a carnival in Tullytown where police said he was trying to blend in with …
Back-To-Back Bank Robbery Suspect Arrested: Reading Police (UPDATED) Back-To-Back Bank Robbery Suspect Arrested: Reading Police (UPDATED)
Back-To-Back Bank Robbery Suspect Arrested: Reading Police (Updated) A suspect is in custody for trying to rob two Reading credit unions on Monday, July 8, according to city police.  Josue Rivera-Reyes was arrested Friday, July 12, authorities said in a release.  Police responded to a 911 hangup at Visions Federal Credit Union around 12:15 p.m. Monday, where a man had demanded money and said he had a gun, RPD wrote.  A short time later, Pagoda Federal Credit Union reported a "suspicious male" attempting a robbery at their location as well, authorities said.  Rivera-Reyes is charged with felony robbery and related counts, …
Reading Jehovah's Witness Member Sentenced For Sexually Assaulting Girl While She Slept: AG Reading Jehovah's Witness Member Sentenced For Sexually Assaulting Girl While She Slept: AG
Reading Jehovah's Witness Member Sentenced For Sexually Assaulting Girl While She Slept: AG A 56-year-old Pennsylvania man has been sentenced to prison for sexual assault of a girl that began more than 20 years ago, officials said. Luis Manuel Ayala-Velasquez, 56, of Reading, was arrested last year after a grand jury investigation where sexual assault charges were recommended against more than a dozen members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses faith, Attorney General Michelle Henry said. Ayala-Velasquez will serve 14 to 46 years in prison after pleading guilty earlier this year to five felony counts, including rape of an unconscious person, Henry said. He was sentenced Wednesday…
Berks Case Still Cold: Who Killed Louisa Tseng Krenzel? Berks Case Still Cold: Who Killed Louisa Tseng Krenzel?
Berks Case Still Cold: Who Killed Louisa Tseng Krenzel? It's been more than 10 years since Lousia Tseng Krenzel was killed, and Pennsylvania State Police are still searching for answers. The 48-year-old Taiwan native was shoveling snow at her Long Lane home in rural Pike Township on Jan. 22, 2014, troopers said in a release on July 3.  At about 8 p.m. that night, she was found dead in the driveway by her estranged husband Jules Krenzel, reported the Reading Eagle that month.  She'd suffered multiple gunshot wounds, including one through the heart. More bullets were found embedded in the garage door, about five feet from where Lou…
Swimmer Drowns In Schuylkill River In Reading, Officials Say Swimmer Drowns In Schuylkill River In Reading, Officials Say
Swimmer Drowns In Schuylkill River In Reading, Officials Say One person died while swimming near Reading's Riverfront Park on Saturday, June 29, according to city officials.  Reading firefighters said the male victim was seen going into the water near "Penske Beach" and never came back out. Dive crews recovered his body and he was pronounced dead at this scene, first responders said.  Authorities did not report his name.  "Our thoughts are with the family and friends during this difficult time," City Hall said in a statement on Monday, July 1.  "The reality is that accidents occur, and sometimes, even under the best of circumsta…
Pursuit Of Teen In Stolen Car Ends With Fiery Crash: Reading Police Pursuit Of Teen In Stolen Car Ends With Fiery Crash: Reading Police
Pursuit Of Teen In Stolen Car Ends With Fiery Crash: Reading Police A juvenile who led police on a chase in a stolen car has been charged, Reading Police announced on Monday, June 24.  Officers spotted the vehicle near North 3rd and Washington streets around 1:30 a.m. When they tried to pull it over, the 15-year-old driver fled into Muhlenberg Township where he lost control and crashed, according to officials. The car caught fire before police removed the driver from the vehicle, RPD said.  The teen is charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, fleeing and eluding, and multiple traffic-related offenses. He is being charged as a juveni…
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings Issued In These NJ, PA Counties Severe Thunderstorm Warnings Issued In These NJ, PA Counties
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings Issued In These NJ, PA Counties The National Weather Service has issued severe thunderstorm warnings and warned of 60 mph winds across parts of New Jersey and Pennsylvania Friday, June 14. At 4:15 p.m., the NWS issued the warnings for Sussex and Warren counties in New Jersey, and Carbon, Monroe, Berks, Lehigh, and Northampton, in PA.  Newton, Washington, Jim Thorpe, Stroudsburg, Reading, Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton, are also being warned of severe storms. The warnings are in effect through 5 p.m. Temps hit the 90-degree mark late in the afternoon, the NWS said. Storms were expected in the evening hours, a…
Berks Coroner Seeks Next-Of-Kin For Late Reading Man Berks Coroner Seeks Next-Of-Kin For Late Reading Man
Berks Coroner Seeks Next-Of-Kin For Late Reading Man Officials are looking for the family of a man who died in Reading Hospital over the weekend.  Scott P. Campbell, 52, died from natural causes on Sunday, June 9, the Berks County Coroner's Office said. His last known address was the Hope Rescue Mission, 645 N. 6th Street, Reading. Anyone who can contact his loved ones is asked to call the Coroner at 610-478-3280. 
Coroner IDs Reading Man Killed In Route 183 Crash Coroner IDs Reading Man Killed In Route 183 Crash
Coroner IDs Reading Man Killed In Route 183 Crash Officials have named the driver who died after a crash near Bernville on Thursday morning, May 30.  Daniel R. Schneider, 28, was headed south on the 6400 block of Bernville Road/Route 183 in Penn Township around 4:15 a.m., according to state police and the Berks Coroner's Office.  Schneider's Chrysler 300 crossed into the northbound lane and hit a Toyota Highlander head-on, troopers said. His car rolled onto its passenger side and came to rest in a ditch before catching fire, state police said.  Schneider, of Reading, was pronounced dead from multiple blunt force trauma with…
Man Dead, 11 Hospitalized In Pennsylvania Crash, Police Say Man Dead, 11 Hospitalized In Pennsylvania Crash, Police Say
Man Dead, 11 Hospitalized In Pennsylvania Crash, Police Say A 30-year-old Reading man has been identified following a crash that sent 11 people to the hospital, police announced on Friday, May 31.  Marilus Mousardy died at the scene of a crash between two minivans at the intersection of State Drive and Schaeffer Road at 4:56 p.m. on Thursday, May 30, according to the South Lebanon Township Police.  Their preliminary investigation revealed the following: "A mini-van containing at least nine people was struck while it was in the travel lane of an oncoming mini-van occupied by 3 persons." They noted that: "All other occupants in both vehicl…
Two Shot During Fight At Reading Basketball Court: Police Two Shot During Fight At Reading Basketball Court: Police
Two Shot During Fight At Reading Basketball Court: Police Two people were treated for injuries after shots rang out in Reading early Friday morning, May 24, city police say.  Officers were called to the 1800 block of Forrest Street near Pendora Park around 2 a.m., authorities said.  They arrived to find one man shot in the leg and another in the shoulder, RPD said. Both were taken to Reading Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.  Investigators believe the shooting happened during a fight at the basketball courts. Police said the incident is under investigation and there is "no known threat to the public." Anyone w…
20-Year-Old Man Steals Vehicle With Child's Wheelchair From Yorktown Home: Police 20-Year-Old Man Steals Vehicle With Child's Wheelchair From Yorktown Home: Police
20-Year-Old Man Steals Vehicle With Child's Wheelchair From Yorktown Home: Police A 20-year-old Pennsylvania man faces criminal charges after stealing a van containing a girl's customized wheelchair from a Northern Westchester driveway, police announced. Letrell Ackerman of Reading, Pennsylvania was taken into custody by Yorktown Police on Thursday, May 16 in connection with the theft of a vehicle with an electric wheelchair inside that occurred in June 2023, the department announced on Friday, May 17.  The arrest was made in connection with an incident on June 15, 2023, when a van was reported stolen from a Yorktown resident's driveway. This vehicle had contained a…
International Soccer Stars Will Date Unsuspecting Reading Woman On Brand-New TV Dating Show International Soccer Stars Will Date Unsuspecting Reading Woman On Brand-New TV Dating Show
International Soccer Stars Will Date Unsuspecting Reading Woman On Brand-New TV Dating Show A Pennsylvania woman will be dating massive, international soccer stars on a brand-new Peacock dating show. The twist? She has no idea how famous they are back home. "Love Undercover" will follow five male athletes who must leave their lavish lives behind to take on secret identities in dating single women in America, all completely unsuspecting of their fame overseas. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Estefani Mendez (@stef.p.mendez) Among them Estefani Mendez, of Reading. Mendez and other women will be dating Premier L…
Million Dollar Lottery Ticket Sold In Reading Million Dollar Lottery Ticket Sold In Reading
Million Dollar Lottery Ticket Sold In Reading A shopper at a Reading corner store paid $20 this week to become a millionaire.  The lucky winner earned the top prize playing the Million Dollar Cashfall scratch-off game, according to state gaming officials.  Reading Beverage at 1257 North 9th St. will receive a $5,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.  Scratch-off prizes expire one year after the date of purchase. All winners should immediately sign the back of their ticket and call the Lottery at 1-800-692-7481.  To learn more, visit palottery.com. 
Fears Of Church Collapse Shut Down Reading Streets (UPDATED) Fears Of Church Collapse Shut Down Reading Streets (UPDATED)
Fears Of Church Collapse Shut Down Reading Streets (Updated) The Public Works Department in Reading is demolishing an abandoned church at Perkiomen Avenue and Spruce Street, according to city officials.  Authorities said the church is in danger of collapsing.  "To ensure public safety, a portion of the church tower needs to be taken down," the Mayor's office said in a release.  Perkiomen Avenue is closed from Mineral Spring Road to South 14th Street and Spruce Street is closed from Mineral Spring Road to Miller Street until the work is done, officials said.  Update: Work is expected to continue through Friday, May…
137 Grams Of Fentanyl Seized In Reading: Authorities 137 Grams Of Fentanyl Seized In Reading: Authorities
137 Grams Of Fentanyl Seized In Reading: Authorities A "home check" on North 9th Street in Reading led to the confiscation of more than 100 grams of fentanyl on Thursday, May 2, authorities said.  Reading police and state parole officers said they recovered: Three handguns, including two with defaced serial numbers A "ghost rifle" 137 grams of fentanyl Four fentanyl pills Six ecstasy pills Marijuana Charges are pending, they added. 
2.4 Magnitude Earthquake Recorded In Berks County 2.4 Magnitude Earthquake Recorded In Berks County
2.4 Magnitude Earthquake Recorded In Berks County A 2.4 magnitude earthquake was recorded in Pennsylvania Friday, April 19. According to the USGS, the quake happened at 8 p.m. one kilometer northeast of Lincoln Park (Berks County). Residents of Catasauqua, Reading, Wernersville, and even one in Potomac, MD all reported feeling the earthquake. Meanwhile, in New Jersey, a 1.3 magnitude quake was reported at 7:50 a.m. 6 kilometers southeast of Califon, apparently an aftershock stemming from the 4.8 magnitude earthquake earlier this month.
Police 'Justified' In Fatal Shooting Of Suicidal Veteran, Dad Of Six: Berks DA Police 'Justified' In Fatal Shooting Of Suicidal Veteran, Dad Of Six: Berks DA
Police 'Justified' In Fatal Shooting Of Suicidal Veteran, Dad Of Six: Berks DA The Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams has ruled that the two officers who shot an Air Force Veteran and dad of six dead were "justified," according to a release on Thursday, April 18. The DA explained that the two officers encountered 50-year-old Damon Scott Stern Sr. when they responded to his home for a call of a suicidal man with a knife in the 400 block of Windsor Street, Reading at 3:37 a.m. on Monday, March 25, 2024. The officers met with the caller on the front porch and the following happened the DA said: "Stern appeared from inside the home and …
Reading Man Raped Child Under 9 Years Old: Lancaster DA Reading Man Raped Child Under 9 Years Old: Lancaster DA
Reading Man Raped Child Under 9 Years Old: Lancaster DA A Reading man was convicted on multiple charges including involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child in a Lancaster County court this week, according to the District Attorney's Office.  Joel Villarreal, 44, was found guilty after one hour of jury deliberations, prosecutors said in a release.  Authorities said Villarreal abused a victim "on numerous occasions" between 2018 and 2020, when she was between 7 and 9 years old. The assaults happened at two addresses in Lancaster while he was "n a position to care for the victim," the DA's Office said.  “(The vict…
Pennsylvania Lottery Player Wins $100K In Berks County Pennsylvania Lottery Player Wins $100K In Berks County
Pennsylvania Lottery Player Wins $100K In Berks County For the third time in four days, a Pennsylvania Lottery player in Berks County has won a major prize.  A Powerball player matched five of the six balls pulled in the Monday, April 4 drawing to win $100,000, according to state gaming officials.  South Mountain Beer Distributing at 5104 Penn Avenue in Wernersville will receive a $500 bonus for selling the lucky ticket, Lottery reps said.  The win comes just days after two back-to-back million-dollar prizes were awarded in Reading: one to a Match 6 player at the 4630 Perkiomen Avenue Rite Aid on Friday and the other t…
Police ID 19-Year-Old Killed In Reading Shooting Police ID 19-Year-Old Killed In Reading Shooting
Police ID 19-Year-Old Killed In Reading Shooting Authorities responded to the sound of gunfire in Reading on Monday night, April 1, to find a 19-year-old fatally wounded, city police said in a release.  Christian Disla died at the scene of the shooting, according to RPD. Police said it happened on the 1200 block of Muhlenberg Street around 8 p.m. No suspect description was available as of midday Tuesday, April 2. Police said there is "not believed to be any risk to public safety at this time." Loved ones have launched a GoFundMe to cover Disla's funeral costs.  Anyone with information is asked to call Reading Police …
Second Reading Lotto Player Wins $1 Million Second Reading Lotto Player Wins $1 Million
Second Reading Lotto Player Wins $1 Million A Pennsylvania Lottery player in Reading won $1 million playing the Powerball on Saturday, March 30, state gaming officials say.  The lucky winner matched five of the six balls pulled in the Saturday drawing, according to lotto reps.  The win came just one day after a Match 6 player won $1.07 million at a Reading Rite Aid.  The vendor, Paulino’s Deli & Grocery at 555 North 9th St., will receive a $5,000 bonus for selling the lucky ticket.  Winners are not know until they claim their prize and their ticket is validated. Winners have up to one year from the draw…
Reading Lottery Player Pays Two Dollars, Becomes Millionaire Reading Lottery Player Pays Two Dollars, Becomes Millionaire
Reading Lottery Player Pays Two Dollars, Becomes Millionaire A Pennsylvania Lottery player in Reading stopped by a Rite Aid last week and walked out a million dollars richer.  The lucky winner earned the jackpot $1,070,000 prize playing the Match 6 on Friday, March 29, according to state gaming officials.  The Rite Aid at 4630 Perkiomen Avenue will receive a $10,000 bonus for selling the winning slip, they added.  Winners are not know until they claim their prize and their ticket is validated. Winners have up to one year from the drawing date to file a claim, but winning tickets should be immediately signed on the back.  Mo…
Cigarette Butt Leads To NJ Suspect's Arrest In 2012 West Reading Diner Killing: DA Cigarette Butt Leads To NJ Suspect's Arrest In 2012 West Reading Diner Killing: DA
Cigarette Butt Leads To NJ Suspect's Arrest In 2012 West Reading Diner Killing: DA The alleged gunman in a deadly 2012 Reading shooting is in police custody in New Jersey, according to Berks County prosecutors.  Vallis L. Slaughter, of Jersey City, is being held in Hudson County pending his extradition to Pennsylvania, said the District Attorney's Office on Monday, March 25.  Investigators believe he killed 34-year-old Julio A. Torres on March 24, 2012. Torres was shot while sitting in his car in the parking lot of the West Reading Diner after a confrontation with suspects, the DA's Office said.  Jomaine Case was eventually convicted in connectio…
Reading Police Shoot And Kill Knife-Wielding Man: Authorities (UPDATED) Reading Police Shoot And Kill Knife-Wielding Man: Authorities (UPDATED)
Reading Police Shoot And Kill Knife-Wielding Man: Authorities (Updated) Update: The Berks County District Attorney's Office has identified the man as 50-year-old Damon S. Stern.  Reading police officers said they killed a man who was armed with a knife early Monday morning, March 25.  Authorities were called to the 400 block of Windsor Street around 3:45 a.m. for reports of a "male armed with a knife making suicidal threats," the department said in a release.  Police said they commanded the man to drop the knife, "however, the male ignored those commands and moved towards the officers," the release says.  They shot him and he succumbe…
Troopers Name NJ Man Shot Dead At Berks Truck Stop Troopers Name NJ Man Shot Dead At Berks Truck Stop
Troopers Name NJ Man Shot Dead At Berks Truck Stop A New Jersey man was shot and killed at an I-78 truck stop in Upper Bern Township early Friday morning, March 22, according to Pennsylvania State Police.  James Alexander Hilton, 40, of Southampton, was pronounced dead at the scene, troopers said.  Investigators said Hilton was helping another driver park his truck at Love's Travel Stop around 2:45 a.m. He and another truck driver got into an argument which led to the shooting, troopers said.  The suspect fled the scene in his truck but was pulled over near Exit 40 and arrested at 3:30 a.m., according to state police. Author…