Judge to Reconsider Nazareth Man's Child Porn Sentence

Christopher Rothrock, 46, has asked a Northampton County judge to reconsider the sentence imposed after he pleaded guilty to child pornography charges.

A 46-year-old Nazareth man has asked a Northampton County judge to reconsider his sentence on allegations that he contacted a 12-year-old girl 25 times through explicit text messages and asked her to send him photos of herself. Christopher Rothrock pleaded guilty in Northampton County Court Sept. 7 to one count of criminal solicitation-corruption of minors and five counts of child pornography. He had been facing the criminal solicitation charge, a charge of corruption of minors, and 100 counts of child pornography. According to court records, Judge Stephen Baratta sentenced Rothrock to: A reconsideration hearing in Northampton County Court is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. March 1, court records say. Under Rothrock's guilty plea, the criminal …

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Lehigh Grad Loses Lawsuit Over C+ Grade

A Northampton County judge rules Thursday against a Nazareth woman—a former Lehigh University student—who claimed damages because of a poor grade.

A Northampton County judge has ruled against a Nazareth woman suing Lehigh University for $1.3 million because, she claims, a poor grade in one class diminished her lifetime earning potential. The "plaintiff failed to establish that the university based the awarded grade of C+ on anything other than purely academic reasons," the judge said in his ruling Thursday, according to a WFMZ report. A trial on the civil lawsuit brought by 27-year-old Megan Thode began on Monday in front of Northampton County Judge Emil Giordano, who on Wednesday chastised both sides for being unable to reach an out-of-court settlement, according to The Morning Call. Thode claimed sexual discrimination in the case. Lehigh University countered that Thode behaved …

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Student Sues Lehigh U. for $1.3M over C+ Grade

Lehigh University grad student attending tuition-free alleges her stance on gay marriage made her a target of teachers who lowered her grade and stopped her from getting dream job.

A Nazareth woman who attended graduate classes tuition free at Lehigh University is suing for $1.3 million more from the college because, she claims, a poor grade in one class diminished her lifetime earning potential. A trial on the civil lawsuit brought by 27-year-old Megan Thode began on Monday and continues in front of Northampton County Judge Emil Giordano, who today chastised both sides for being unable to reach an out-of-court settlement, according to The Morning Call. Thode is claiming sexual discrimination in the case. Lehigh University counters that Thode behaved unprofessionally -- including swearing in class -- and hadn’t earned the right to move on in the program. $1.3 million is the difference between what Thode would have …

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Nazareth Man Accused of Sexually Assaulting 14-year-old Friends Agrees to Plea

After working out a plea deal, Jason Lippincott, 32, of Nazareth is expected to plead guilty in Northampton County Court to sexually assaulting two 14-year-old friends.

A plea deal is in the works for a 32-year-old Nazareth man accused of raping a 14-year-old girl and sexually assaulting her 14-year-old friend. About an hour after the preliminary hearing for Jason Lippincott was set to begin Monay, plea deal negotiations ended and Lippincott was finally ready to face District Judge John Capobianco. According to Jason Rendal Antoine, Lippincott's defense attorney, his client will plead guilty in Northampton County Court to charges of aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault, corruption of minors and statutory sexual assault. When the deal was explained to the girls, who nervously chatted inside Capobianco's courtroom, it was mentioned that Lippincott would issue an apology. "I don't want it," one of …

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Plea Deal in Works for Nazareth Man Accused of Shooting at Sister-in-Law

Damian Zamora, 25, of Nazareth waives his right to a preliminary hearing Monday; a plea deal is anticipated for Zamora, who allegedly fired a semi-automatic pistol at his sister-in-law.

A plea deal is anticipated for a Nazareth man accused of firing -- five rounds in all -- a semi-automatic pistol at his sister-in-law. Damian Zamora, 25, of 17 N. Main St., waived his right to a preliminary hearing Monday in front of District Judge John Capobianco. According to Christopher M. Shipman, the public defender representing Zamora, his client plans to plead guilty in Northampton County Court to charges of recklessly endangering another person, disorderly conduct and terroristic threats – cause serious public inconvenience. In exchange, Shipman added, a charge of possessing instruments of crime will be withdrawn at the county court level.  Around 2 a.m. Aug. 30, according to a police criminal complaint, Officer Daniel Troxell was …

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Upper Nazareth Child Rape Suspect Goes on Trial

Accused of performing sex acts on a girl over 8 years, Dennis L. Prendes of Upper Nazareth Township says he is innocent, his lawyer told a jury.

An Upper Nazareth Township man, on trial for allegedly sexually assaulting a Bethlehem Township girl starting when she was 5, professes his innocence, according to his lawyer who was quoted in an Express Times story. Dennis L. Prendes, 62,  is charged with performing sex acts on a Bethlehem Township girl between 1996 and 2004. He was arrested earlier this year by Bethlehem Township police and is being tried in Northampton County Court.  The accuser, now 21, approached police last year with the allegations. She reportedly did not come forward during the alleged abuse -- which ended when she was 13 -- because Prendes told her it would upset her parents and he would instead sexually abuse her younger sister, the story said.  Prendes' lawyer, …

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Drug Manufacturing Charge Against Nazareth Woman Dropped

Jaclyn Ditaranto is expected to plead guilty to two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia; prosecutors agree to withdraw a felony drug manufacturing charge.

The case against a former Nazareth woman accused of cooking methamphetamine in her home is headed to Northampton County Court. Jaclyn Ditaranto, 21, waived her right to a preliminary hearing Monday afternoon in front of District Judge John Capobianco. Not all was bad news for Ditaranto, however. Prosecutors agreed to drop the drug manufacturing charge -- the only felony charge against Ditaranto -- in exchange for Ditaranto's guilty plea to two misdemeanor counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, according to Mark Louis Minotti, Ditaranto's attorney. Ditaranto's formal arraignment is scheduled for 9 a.m. June 7 at the Northampton County Courthouse. Ditaranto was arrested Dec. 14 at her home on the 100 block of W. North Street after …

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Nazareth Grad, 18, Admits to Sex with 12-Year-Old Girl

Anthony J. Pellicciotti, 18, of Bushkill Township, pleaded guilty to felony statutory sexual assault.

Bomb Scare Suspect Headed to Court

Robert Perry, accused of shutting down Stockertown over explosives scare, waives charges against him.

A man accused of shutting down a portion of Stockertown during a bomb scare that turned out to be more scare than bomb is headed to Northampton County Court. Robert Perry, 44, of Monroe County, faces numerous charges connected to the incident on April 17, including two felony counts of making terroristic threats.  On Wednesday, Perry waived those charges during an appearance before District Judge John Capobianco in Nazareth. The judge scheduled Perry's first county court appearance for July 21. Perry was arrested after he claimed to be in possession of an explosive device, which brought numerous police agencies to the borough to investigate, including the FBI, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Lehigh County Emergency …

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