Crime News

Suspected Drug Dealer Operated Near Downtown

Bethlehem Police obtain arrest warrant for man who allegedly sold drugs from E. Union Boulevard apartment.

  Bethlehem police on Tuesday obtained an arrest warrant for a suspected drug dealer who has allegedly been operating out of an apartment just east of the downtown, according to court papers. Charges against John E. Scipio of 113 E. Union Blvd. were filed after three confidential informant drug buys over the last three months and a search of his third-floor apartment Tuesday afternoon, the arrest affidavit says. In the raid, police found crack cocaine, marijuana, digital scales and packaging materials, court papers say. The warrant says the Bethlehem Police Department’s Vice Unit began investigating Scipio and the sale of crack cocaine from his apartment in August. On three separate occasions -- Aug. 29, Sept. 18 and Oct. 16 -- a …

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Crime News

Police: Alleged Teen Robber was Also Pot Dealer

Luis Ortiz, 19, one of four teen suspects in rash of July convenience store robberies had a 'softball-sized' plastic bag stuffed with marijuana in his bedroom, police say.

  Bethlehem police found a “softball-sized” plastic bag stuffed with marijuana on the nightstand next to the bed of a city teen implicated in a string of armed robberies of area convenience stores in July, according to court papers. As a result, Luis Enrique Ortiz, 19, of 618 Atlantic St., was formally charged Tuesday with possession with intent to deliver marijuana, a first-degree felony. Ortiz was already facing multiple felony counts of robbery for his part in the armed robberies – allegedly committed with three other area teens – in Bethlehem, Allentown and Palmer Township. City detectives were conducting a warrant search of Ortiz’s home on July 20 as part of the robbery investigation when they made the drug discovery, according to …

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Crime News

Police: City Man Sold Drugs to Undercover Cop

Alleged crack dealer met with undercover officer in the parking lot of Newburg Inn in Lower Nazareth Township in January.

  A Bethlehem man is charged with selling crack cocaine to an undercover police officer in the parking lot of The Newburg Inn in Lower Nazareth Township, according to court records. Juan Virgilio, 24, of 51 W. Spruce St., allegedly made the sale to an undercover officer on the evening of January 5, the arrest warrant says. Virgilio was arrested and arraigned on drug charges on Sunday night before he was committed to Northampton County Prison. According to the arrest affidavit: Virgilio is charged with delivery of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and criminal use of a communications facility (cellular telephone) – all felonies. He was also charged with possession of crack cocaine, a …

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Police Arrest Alleged Heroin Dealer

City police say Anibal Diaz sold heroin to confidential informants in South Bethlehem.

  A SouthSide Bethlehem man admitted to possessing and selling heroin in the city, with police saying he sold heroin to confidential informants at two locations, according to court records. The case of Anibal Antonio Diaz, 23, of 722 E. Fourth St., Apt. 1, first floor, was handled by a detective assigned to Bethlehem police’s Special Operations Vice Unit that is investigating drug activity in the city. The records say Diaz delivered heroin to confidential informants on September 23 and October 3 on the 700 block of E. Morton Street. The detective and the Special Operations unit and the police Emergency Response Team served a search warrant October 5 at Diaz’s residence. Prior to the search warrant being served, Diaz delivered heroin to a …

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Two Men Arrested for Alleged Heroin Sales

Both men sold drug to confidential police informant, according to court records.

Two South Bethlehem men were arrested separately on charges of possession with intent to deliver heroin after they allegedly sold the drug to confidential Bethlehem police informants, according to court records. Luis Villegas, 18, of 1355 E. Fifth St., allegedly sold heroin to an informant at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday near the corner of Deschler and Williams streets, according to an arrest warrant. Luis Ruben Berrios, 25, of 1102 E. Fourth St., allegedly sold heroin to an informant in front of his home at about 6 p.m. on September 14, according to an arrest warrant.

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