SHARE THIS

In June of 2015, the landlord of West Easton’s DUI/Work Release Facility approached the Council in place that year, to solicit a change in the amount of residents that would occupy the premises and to change the level of offenses that would be allowed to be placed within the facility.

Attorney Mickey Thompson, who is currently the Chief Operating Officer of West Easton Development, the property owned by Developer Abraham Atiyeh on which the facility resides, approached the 2015 Council with concerns that then-County Executive John Brown might discontinue the use of the facility, as a cost-saving measure.

That option, Thompson said, was being weighed because the amount of residents currently being housed due to DUIs or non-payment of child support had dropped.

He sought an increase from 100 beds to 120 beds with a maximum of 150 beds, if the remaining space for the extra 30 beds was converted at a later date.

He also sought a change of offenders being housed. Not only DUI and non-payers of child support, but also “low-risk, non-violent” offenders to be allowed.

Drug dealers wouldn’t qualify, according to Thompson. Risk to West Easton residents wouldn’t increase because these new additions wouldn’t be a flight risk and would be low-level offenders.

This isn’t true, if the numbers and types of offenders reported by the Express-Times since 2014 are added up. Not only has there been an increase in residents fleeing, but a few of these residents are qualifying for entrance into the West Easton facility because the courts or prosecutors are making deals that drop or eliminate more serious charges against some offenders.

In searching the E-T archives, 2014 shows there was one escape. In 2015, there were no escapes reported by the paper. After the change in the types of residents, 2016 showed four escaped and in 2017 that number jumped to eight escapes.

A few of these escapees are troubling.

Aaron Creekmore escaped 3 days after making terroristic threats and harassment on Facebook.

Carlton Jamil Duval had his Possession With Intent to deliver drugs charge withdrawn when he pleaded guilty to just possession. It only took him two weeks to escape.

Anthony Carmine Nava Jr. may be the most disturbing. Having a violent past, the judicial system manipulated him into the work release program. He escaped in August of 2017.

Already this year, another escape was reported on February 2nd by The Express-Times.

I have submitted a RTK request to Northampton County to find out what the actual escape numbers are, since the Work Release Facility has never notified West Easton Borough officials when these escapes occur. We find out through the local paper.

Something also mentioned by Mr. Thompson at that 2015 Council meeting was that nobody would be making any additional money, including the landlord of the property, or West Easton. The cap on the Temporary Resident Fee would remain at $50,000 per year. The change would be made to ensure the facility remains in West Easton, including the revenue it generates for West Easton in the form of the fee and taxes on the property.

In a Right To Know Request I received from the County, it appears somebody is making more money since that change.

In 2012, the original rent charged to Northampton County was $111,781 per quarter. In July of 2015, the rental payment from Northampton County to West Easton Development rose from $114,777 to $115,425 per quarter. In 2017, those rental payments jumped to $117,223.

Since 2012 and as of January 10, 2018, all various payments and reimbursements from Northampton County to West Easton Development total $2,906,617.71.

This borough imposes fines on those who fail in their obligations to our community. We have fines that trash haulers have to pay if they don’t pick up the garbage and recyclables properly.

Perhaps it’s time to enact a new ordinance that would impose a fine on the landlord or tenant of the Work Release Facility, if they don’t meet the obligations of keeping West Easton residents safe.

UPDATED 5:25 PM