Tag: Berks County District Attorney's Office
Handcuffed Teen Assaulted By Reading Officer, Cop Charged With Assault: Berks DA
A Reading police officer is accused of assaulting a handcuffed 16-year-old during a hospital transport, the Berks County District Attorney’s Office announced on Thursday, Aug. 28.
Aaron J. Andre, 49, of Reading, was charged with simple assault and official oppression following an investigation by Berks County Detectives.
The incident happened on Wednesday, June 25, when Andre was assigned to operate the department’s prisoner transport van. Around 8:54 p.m., he was dispatched to the 500 block of McClellan Street for a domestic assault incident involving a combative 16-year-old boy, according…
‘Don’t Have Me Arrested’: Reading Man Accused Of Sexually Abusing Girl For Nearly A Decade
A Pennsylvania man has been arrested for sexually abusing a girl over several years, the Berks County District Attorney’s Office announced on Wednesday, Aug. 6.
Miguel Reyes, 55, of the 400 block of South 7th Street, Reading, was charged with Rape of a Child, Rape, Indecent Assault, Corruption of Minors, and Endangering the Welfare of Children, according to the DA’s Office.
The investigation began in April 2025 after a CHILDLINE referral from the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services alleged Reyes had repeatedly abused a juvenile female. Detectives conducted a forensic interview at the …
220 Bags Of Fentanyl, Loaded Gun Seized In Reading Drug Bust: DA
A Reading man was arrested after a raid turned up hundreds of bags of fentanyl and a loaded gun, the Berks County District Attorney’s Office announced on Thursday, July 24.
Christian Vazquez-Perez, 30, was taken into custody when detectives served a search warrant at his home on the 500 block of Mulberry Street around 9:20 a.m., the DA’s Drug Task Force said.
Inside, authorities seized:
220 packets of fentanyl,
A fully loaded Palmetto State Armory 9mm semi-automatic pistol,
An Ohaus digital scale,
Packaging materials,
A small bag containing suspected cocaine,
$334 in suspected drug money,…
Drug Raid At Muhlenberg Home Uncovers LSD, Fentanyl, And Mason Jars Packed With Pot
A Berks County man is facing felony charges after authorities found a lush marijuana grow, LSD, fentanyl, and cocaine — much of it packed into mason jars — during a drug raid, the Berks County District Attorney’s Office announced on Friday, July 18.
Sandrew Gonzalez, 29, was arrested after detectives with the Berks County DA’s Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at his home on the 2600 block of Kutztown Road in Muhlenberg Township, according to the release.
Investigators began tracking Gonzalez in May for suspected drug sales in the area. The Friday morning search of both his home and…
Ex-Muhlenberg Man Busted In Child Porn File Sharing Case: Berks County DA
A Maryland man is accused of uploading child sexual abuse material to KIK Messenger from a home in Pennsylvania, investigators announced on Friday, June 27.
Daniel J. Huber, 34, of Abingdon, Maryland, previously of Muhlenberg, Pennsylvania, was arrested after a multi-complaint investigation by the Berks County District Attorney’s Office, according to Chief County Detective Michael J. Gombar.
Detectives were first tipped off by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which reported digital files suspected to be child sexual abuse material (CSAM) shared via KIK. Five additiona…
Child Porn Crackdown: PA Trio Nabbed In Major Bust, DA Says
Three Berks County men have been arrested and charged in separate child pornography investigations, authorities said Friday, June 20.
The arrests of Christopher Escobar-Ledesma, 29, of Kutztown; Michael W. Leininger, 64, of Laureldale; and Michael E. Ransier, 72, of Exeter Township, follow a trio of tips to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), the Berks County District Attorney’s Office said.
The tips flagged disturbing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) shared online. Investigators traced each case to different web platforms — Google, Bing, an…
Lebanon Man Charged In Deadly Fentanyl Delivery After 32-Year-Old Found Dead, DA Says
A Pennsylvania drug dealer is facing charges after police say he delivered the fentanyl that killed a 32-year-old man.
Rafael Angel Rivera-Ortiz, 40, of South 10th Street in Lebanon, was charged on Friday, June 6, with drug delivery resulting in death, according to the Berks County District Attorney’s Office
On March 29, 2024, officers with the South Heidelberg Police Department responded to a home on West Penn Avenue in Robesonia for a reported death. Inside, they found signs of drug use, including fentanyl and related paraphernalia, authorities said.
The victim, a 32-year-old man, was pr…
$750K Stolen From Family, Friends In Financial Scam: Berks DA
A Berks County man is accused of embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from family and friends over the course of more than a decade, authorities announced on Monday, April 7.
Santiago J. Torres, 41, of Sinking Spring, has been charged with 17 counts of Felony Theft by Deception, 11 counts of Felony Identity Theft, 11 counts of Felony Forgery, and seven counts of Felony Access Device Used to Obtain or Attempt to Obtain Property, according to Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams.
Detectives launched an investigation in August 2024 after multiple victims came forward with concer…
67 Pounds Of Weed Seized As Reading Man Busted For Firearm Trafficking At JFK: DA
A man accused of fueling gun violence through illegal firearm sales was caught smuggling 67 pounds of marijuana at JFK Airport, authorities announced on Monday, March 17.
Ian Diaz-Reales, 27, of Reading, Pennsylvania, was arrested on March 2 while attempting to board an outbound flight with the massive drug stash, according to the Berks County District Attorney’s Office. Diaz-Reales had already been wanted for allegedly purchasing multiple firearms and illegally funneling them to criminals involved in drug trafficking, gang activity, and violence, authorities said.
The Berks County Gun Viol…
37 Bags Of Cocaine, Stun Gun Seized In Berks Drug Bust, West Lawn Man Charged: DA
A Berks County man was caught with crack cocaine and a stun gun after authorities executed a search warrant, officials announced on Tuesday, Feb. 11.
Juan Carlos Soto-Arizmendi, 31, of West Lawn, was arrested after an undercover investigation led to a drug bust in Shoemakersville, according to the Berks County District Attorney’s Office.
Detectives with the Berks County Drug Task Force had been investigating Soto-Arizmendi since August 2024. On Dec. 11, authorities served a search warrant on him, his vehicle, and his cell phone in the 300 block of Logistics Drive, uncovering a stash of dr…
Reading Man Who Sexually Abused Autistic Child, Fled Sentencing, Captured In Dominican Republic
A Reading man who sexually abused an autistic child and skipped his sentencing hearing was captured in the Dominican Republic and returned to Berks County, authorities announced Friday, Feb. 7.
Rafael Vendrell, 75, pleaded nolo contendere to two counts of Aggravated Indecent Assault in November 2023 after being accused of sexually abusing an autistic juvenile, according to Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams.
Vendrell was released on bail while awaiting his sentencing on Feb. 14, 2024, but failed to appear in court, prompting a judge to issue a bench warrant, authorities said.
On …
Explicit Video Shown To Students, Threatened Teen By Reading Paraprofessional: DA
A Reading School District employee showed sexually explicit material to middle school students, inappropriately touched a 13-year-old boy, and threatened another teen, the Berks County District Attorney's Office announced on Wednesday, Jan. 29.
Stephanie Quintero-Ochoa, 19, of Reading, was charged with unlawful contact with a minor, indecent exposure, dissemination of explicit sexual material via electronic communication, corruption of minors, and endangering the welfare of children.
The investigation began in December 2024 after multiple ChildLine reports alleged that Quintero-Ochoa was en…
Harrisburg Man Used Pen Camera To Record Victims In Bathroom, Sexually Abused Boys: Berks DA
A Harrisburg dad is accused of sexually abusing two boys and secretly recording videos of them and another family member using a hidden pen camera, the Berks County District Attorney’s Office announced on Tuesday, Jan. 28.
Kemish A. Soto-Munet, 29, was charged with rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, statutory sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, sexual abuse of children, invasion of privacy, and corruption of minors, according to investigators.
**WARNING THE FOLLOWING DETAILS ARE DISTURBING**
The investigation began on Sunday, July 28, 2024, with a Childline referral alle…
Mom Justified In Fatal Shooting Of Myerstown Son During Break-In: DA
A Berks County woman who shot and killed her son after he broke into her home acted in self-defense, authorities announced on Tuesday, Dec. 17.
Sean M. Clemens, 32, of Myerstown, was shot multiple times by his 64-year-old mother during a confrontation at her residence on Little Mountain Road in Bethel Township, Berks County, on Wednesday, Nov. 6, according to the Berks County District Attorney’s Office.
The incident began around 7:50 a.m. when the woman called 911 to report that she had shot her son after he forcibly entered her home, officials said.
Investigators said Clemens, who had a h…
2 Convicted Of Third-Degree Murder In Brookline Park Shooting: Berks DA
Two men were convicted of third-degree murder in the 2022 Brookline Park shooting on Thursday, Oct. 31, authorities said.
Anthony Boria, 20, of Reading, and Henry Madera Jr., 19, of West Lawn, were each found guilty of third-degree murder for the death of Amiere Bibbs, who was 18 years old when he was found dead at the scene, according to the Berks County District Attorney's Office.
The shooting happened when a large group of teens mostly from Governor Mifflin School District gathered to watch a fistfight at Brookline Park in Reading on Friday, March 14, 2022, the district attorney's office…
Reading Man Busted With Drugs, Guns, 'Numerous Paraphernalia Items': Berks DA
A Reading man targeted in a drug bust was found with guns, various drugs, and numerous items of drug paraphernalia, authorities said.
Allah Jamal Johnson, 38, of 1501 Perkiomen Avenue, was arrested outside of his residence on Wednesday, Oct. 23 after authorities executed a search warrant, according to the Berks County District Attorney's Office.
An investigation by the Berks County Drug Task Force into Johnson began in August, resulting in a search warrant for his home and his vehicle, a white Buick Regal.
During the search, investigators found:
One Smith and Wesson 9mm pistol with an ob…
PA Mom Who Googled 'Methods Of Killing' Same Day She Hanged Her Kids Gets 2 Life Sentences
A Reading mom who Googled "methods of killing" before hanging her two children in her basement has been sentenced to life in prison, the Berks County District Attorney John T. Adams announced on Thursday, Oct. 17.
Lisa Snyder, 41, was found guilty of the following on Tuesday, Sept. 24; 2 counts of First-Degree Murder, 2 counts of Endangering the Welfare of Children, and Tampering with Evidence, the Berks County DA explained in the release. The charges stem from an investigation into the Sept. 2019 death of her 8-year-old son, 4-year-old daughter, and the family…
'Street-Level' Reading Drug Dealer Arrested With $27K In Drugs: DA
A Reading "street-level" drug dealer was arrested with more than $27,000 worth of heroin and fentanyl, authorities said.
Jaime Serrano-Rosario, 55, was arrested without incident by detectives of the Berks County Drug Task Force on Thursday, Oct. 17, according to the Berks County District Attorney's Office.
Authorities found 5,348 packets of heroin/fentanyl, five grams of bulk heroin/fentanyl, a .38 caliber Derringer loaded handgun, and $2,035 in cash at Serrano-Rosario's residence, authorities said. The street value of the heroin/fentanyl seized is about $27,115.
The investigatio…
