Trio arrested for firing handgun

**jerryg** · April 2nd, 2013, 08:18 PM

By Sarah M. Wojcik | The Express-Times
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on April 01, 2013 at 5:46 PM, updated April 01, 2013 at 7:26 PM

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A 19-year-old Bethlehem woman celebrated her birthday Friday by firing bullets into the air with a stolen handgun, according to court records.

Police investigating an unrelated incident at 8:55 p.m. in the 1200 block of Fairmount Street heard two gunshots just south of Woodbine Street, authorities report. Shortly after the shots, police saw a silver Acura full of passengers speed through the intersection at Woodbine Street and heard four more gunshots, court papers say.

The officer who heard the gunshots called police and provided the description of the vehicle, court papers say. Authorities say they found the car parked in a fire lane in front of Aaron's Rentals near the Wine & Spirits store in the Valley Farm Market lot.

Jasmine Mingo, 19, of the 1300 block of Hilton Street in Bethlehem, told police it was her birthday and she was partying at her house when alcohol had run low and she and three others went to get more alcohol before the state liquor store closed.

During the ride, Anthony C. Holmes, 21, of the 400 block of East North Street in Bethlehem allegedly handed Mingo a gun, police said. He told her to fire a few shots to celebrate her birthday and she pointed the gun in the air and pulled the trigger twice, court papers say.

The driver, Alphonso Narciso Matos, 20, of the 100 block of South Blank Street in Allentown took the gun next and allegedly fired four shots into the air while driving, police said.

Then he passed the gun back to Holmes, who pocketed it, court papers say. Holmes would tell police he found the firearm laying next to a garbage can south of Hilton Street near Mingo's home, court papers say. Holmes decided to keep the gun for himself when he found it had ammo and was loaded, according to court records.

Police say the gun had been reported stolen out of South Carolina.

Police confiscated a bag of marijuana and a .380-caliber pistol from Holmes, police said. Police said the fourth person in the car, Eric Terry Jr., no age provided, of Nanticoke, Pa., admitted the marijuana was his. He was not arraigned on any charges, according to records.

Holmes, Mingo and Matos were arraigned before on-duty District Judge David Tidd in Lower Saucon Township.

Holmes was charged with receiving stolen property, possessing a firearm without a license, reckless endangerment, theft and providing alcohol to minors.

Mingo and Matos were charged with receiving stolen property, unlicensed firearm, reckless endangerment, prohibited discharging of a firearm and underage drinking. All three defendants were sent to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $50,000 bail.

I can't wait to see what the judge gives them, and how many charges are dropped.

**jerryg** · May 15th, 2013, 10:38 AM

In today's Morning Call it says that there is a plea deal coming. Isn't it a Federal crime to be in possession of a gun stolen in South Carolina, and you are shooting it in the air in PA?

I wrote to the Northampton County DA & Mayor of Bethlehem telling them that this plea deal stinks. I wanted to email the judge but she doesn't do email.
What crap!!!!!!!!!!

**NuclearSociety** · May 15th, 2013, 01:37 PM

Mingo and Matos were charged with receiving stolen property, unlicensed firearm, reckless endangerment, prohibited discharging of a firearm and underage drinking. All three defendants were sent to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $50,000 bail.

WTF?

Charged with unlicensed firearm?

**jerryg** · May 15th, 2013, 03:33 PM

Email to & from the DA.

John Morganelli,

I have been following his gunfire case with the stolen gun in Bethlehem since it happened on April 1. In today's Morning Call it said you are offering a plea deal. As a firearm owner and Act 235 certified I don't think this is fair. What about Federal gun crimes for having a gun stolen in South Carolina? Why the slap on the wrist you got them cold?

reply
PLea deal is appropriate. They are pleading to the charges that we can establish BRD. They are the most serious charges that have been filed and the dropping of some does not affect the judge’s ability to sentence the same as if all charges were pleaded guilty to. Feds generally do not want these cases. Realistically, since no one was hurt, luckily, and they were just acting out, the plea to Recklessly Endangering is the proper charge. JM

anybody know what BRD is?

**Pilot321** · May 15th, 2013, 03:41 PM

Originally Posted by jerryg

Holmes was charged with receiving stolen property, possessing a firearm without a license, reckless endangerment, theft and providing alcohol to minors.

Mingo and Matos were charged with receiving stolen property, unlicensed firearm, reckless endangerment, prohibited discharging of a firearm and underage drinking.

Do they mean a PA LTCF when the say "unlicensed firearm"? It makes it sound like you have to have a license to buy a gun.

**PaGunner** · May 15th, 2013, 03:55 PM

BRD = Beyond a Reasonable Doubt, the burden in any criminal proceeding. The Commonwealth must establish beyond a reasonable doubt each element of each charge.

Originally Posted by jerryg

anybody know what BRD is?

**tl_3237** · May 15th, 2013, 03:55 PM

Originally Posted by Pilot321

Do they mean a PA LTCF when the say "unlicensed firearm"? It makes it sound like you have to have a license to buy a gun.

They were charged with:

18 § 6106 §§ A1 F3 Firearms Not To Be Carried W/O License 03/29/2013

Unlicensed carrying of firearm concealed on/about person or in a vehicle.

**DK23** · May 15th, 2013, 03:56 PM

Originally Posted by jerryg

Email to & from the DA.

John Morganelli,

I have been following his gunfire case with the stolen gun in Bethlehem since it happened on April 1. In today's Morning Call it said you are offering a plea deal. As a firearm owner and Act 235 certified I don't think this is fair. What about Federal gun crimes for having a gun stolen in South Carolina? Why the slap on the wrist you got them cold?

reply
PLea deal is appropriate. They are pleading to the charges that we can establish BRD. They are the most serious charges that have been filed and the dropping of some does not affect the judge’s ability to sentence the same as if all charges were pleaded guilty to. Feds generally do not want these cases. Realistically, since no one was hurt, luckily, and they were just acting out, the plea to Recklessly Endangering is the proper charge. JM

anybody know what BRD is?

Beyond reasonable doubt.