Week in Review

Child Porn Cases, Teacher's Resignation Top Local News

An alleged knife-wielding woman and the installation of a left-turn arrow at routes 191 and 248 also among top headlines.

Christopher Rothrock, 46, has asked a Northampton County judge to reconsider the sentence imposed after he pleaded guilty to child pornography charges. Jeffrey Drexler, 23, of Nazareth is accused of downloading child pornography from Ares, a file-sharing network, while using his mother's Internet connection. Stacee Banko, 34, of Lower Nazareth Township, was charged in September with retail theft and receiving stolen property. She was a fifth-grade teacher in the Nazareth Area School District. Motorists, rejoice! The new left-turn arrow at the intersection of S. Broad Street and Easton Road in Nazareth has been turned on. Janice Klimek, 37, of Wind Gap, is charged with simple assault and harassment. Shaun Burke, 32, of Bushkill Township and…

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Son Used Mom's Internet to Get Child Porn, Police Say

Jeffrey Drexler, 23, of Nazareth is accused of downloading child pornography from Ares, a file-sharing network, while using his mother's Internet connection.

A 23-year-old Nazareth man has been charged with downloading child pornography while using his mother’s Internet connection.  Jeffrey Drexler, who lives in an apartment at 100 N. Broad St., has never been arrested before, court records say. But he’s now facing third-degree felony charges of disseminating photos/files of child sex acts, child pornography and criminal use of a communication facility.  Drexler was arraigned Tuesday in front of District Judge John Capobianco. He is free on $50,000 unsecured bail. According to a police criminal complaint: The Lower Heidelberg Township (Berks County) Police Department contacted Trooper Mark Mackachinas, who works out of Bethlehem’s Troop M for the Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Computer …

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Should Teen's Criminal Record Follow Him to College?

Judge says courts should inform Temple University that Lehigh Valley teen downloaded child porn

  A Lehigh County teen convicted of downloading child porn will have his juvenile criminal record follow him to college, according to a court ruling. A Pa. Superior Court judge says Temple University should be informed of the misdemeanor, which took place while the student was in high school, according to a WHYY report. The teen's attorney has the right to ask for another review of the controversial ruling. Do you agree with the judge's decision? Tell us in the comments section below. The teen in question was also found guilty of one count of sexual abuse of children, according to Phillyburbs.com. The Phillyburbs report says this ruling will open many questions about who juvenile probation officers are required to contact - what happens …

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Deal Possible in Child Pornography Case

Christopher Rothrock, 45, of Nazareth waives his right to a preliminary hearing as his defense lawyer attempts to reach a plea deal with the district attorney's office.

A Nazareth man who allegedly solicited a 12-year-old girl to send nude photos of herself to him waived his right to a preliminary hearing before District Judge John Capobianco Tuesday in exchange for a possible plea deal. Christopher Rothrock, 45, was charged in January with 100 counts of possessing images of child pornography, one count of criminal solicitation and one count of corruption of a minor. The girl's parents contacted police in February 2011 after they found inappropriate text messages on their daughter’s cell phone. Officer Jacob Abel found that Rothrock had contacted the girl 25 times through text and picture messaging. After police obtained a search warrant, they were able to see that Rothrock searched -- using his …

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Man Tried to Swallow Flash Drive Full of Child Porn

Harold J. Moser, 46, of Bushkill Township is accused of possessing child pornography and tampering with evidence for trying to swallow a flash drive.

A Bushkill Township man was charged Aug. 23 with possessing child pornography and tampering with the evidence when he tried to swallow a flash drive containing the images, The Express Times reports. Harold J. Moser, 46, of the 400 block of Blue Ridge Drive, had allegedly coerced a 9-year-old girl in March to undress and pose for pictures. The article also states Moser forced the child to fondle him. When police went to verify the accusations, they caught Moser trying to eat the flash drive. State police later found nine images of child porn on the drive, according to the report. Moser is in Northampton County Prison under $100,000 bail.

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