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Crime & Safety

Police: Suspect Threatened Restaurant Owner

SouthSide teen accused of threatening to shoot owner of Horns tossed gun as police searched for him, according to court papers.

 

A 19-year old Bethlehem man threatened to shoot a SouthSide restaurant owner he considered a “snitch,” triggering a police search Wednesday afternoon that led to the man’s capture after he tossed a loaded gun into an E. Fourth Street yard, court records say.

The records also say the suspect, Allen Rubin Callender, later told a city detective he tossed the silver and black Bersa Thunder .380 “because he was scared.” And he admitted to “having an altercation with someone [whom] he referred to as a snitch.”

That someone was John Silvestera, owner of Horns Restaurant, 123 W. Fourth St. Police were told the man who threatened Silvestera was wearing a yellow Pirates baseball hat, yellow shirt and tan shorts.

Silvestera told police that Wednesday was not the first time the man – later identified as Callender – had threatened him. He said that about a month ago, Callender – wearing the same hat, shirt and shorts as on Wednesday – was involved in an “altercation with a woman.” Silvestera witnessed it and later told police the man involved was Callender.

Since then, Silvestera said, Callender has walked by his restaurant calling him a “snitch” and making hand gestures that he was going to shoot him, the records say.

On Wednesday, Silvestera said he was standing in front of his business when Callender walked by with another man. Callender pointed at Silvestera and called him a “snitch.”

Silvestera asked Callender why he was pointing at him and Callender replied that “he [Silvestera] ratted him out and was a snitch.” Callender then said he was “going to get his gun and clap him,” meaning shoot him.

That’s when police were notified and they began a search. An officer said he saw a man matching Callender’s description (he’s 6-feet-1, 145 pounds) on the 700 block of E. Fourth Street. The officer said the man was seen reaching into his waistband.

Another officer saw the man reach into his waistband for a silver item that appeared to be an outline of a handgun. And a third officer reported that a Bersa Thunder .380 had been found in a yard between 720 and 722 E. Fourth St. – “a heavily populated residential area with numerous families.”

Callender was taken into custody after appearing on the porch of 722 E. Fourth St. This time he was wearing a yellow Phillies – not Pirates – baseball hat, black shirt, tan shorts and black and yellow sneakers, the records say.

Callender, of 725 Cherokee St., first floor, was arraigned Wednesday night by on-duty District Judge Diane Marakovits of Northampton. He was charged with firearms without a license, disorderly conduct, terroristic threats and harassment.

He was committed to Northampton County Prison after failing to post $50,000 bail.

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