Arrests in Gang-Related Beating involving Latin Kings, Bloods

A 19th birthday party in Bushkill Township featured a half-barrel of beer in a tub, marijuana and a brutal baseball bat attack that left a party-goer with severe head trauma and permanent deafness in his left ear.

Six young people ages 19 to 21 have been charged in the July melee that court records describe as revenge for an earlier fighter in which a male juvenile had his front teeth “knocked to the bone.”

Among the large group that responded to the call for revenge were three males described in the records as “known” members of the Latin Kings gang and another male described as being in the Bloods gang.

None of the six suspects were identified as being gang members.

The suspects, who were arraigned Tuesday at the office of District Judge Douglas Schlegel of Wind Gap, live in Bethlehem, Bath and the townships of Moore, East Allen and South Whitehall.

A criminal complaint, from which information for this story was taken, was filed by Bushkill Township Det. Donald Ackerman and Bushkill Officer Peter Dewey.

The complaint said that after the first fight, the victim and two others drove to a Bath convenience store and called friends. At one point, the records say, four to five cars with three to four people in each car gathered at the store to plot the revenge.

The fight victim went to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Muhlenberg. The others decided to go to the Bushkill Township house and “have at it.”

The party, which began on July 20, a Friday, and extended into the next day, was held at 228 E. Mountain Road. It was hosted by Nicholas Fry in honor of his 19th birthday. Online court records show the Mountain Road home is owned by Walter Fry Jr.

The complaint identified the bat-beatened party-goer as Cory Parenti, 19. Parenti witnessed a fight – separate from the earlier fight -- between Fry and another male. The fight was triggered by an argument over a female.

The male then hid from Fry, worried that Fry might try to get a gun, the complaint said.

Parenti went outside looking for the male and was “greeted” by a baseball bat to the head. By this time, those who had gathered at the convenience store were on the Mountain Road property. They split into two groups and hid behind bushes, waiting to attack someone.

Even after Parenti lost consciousness, the attackers continued beating him – not only with the bat but with punches and kicks.

When the attack was over, Parenti had suffered trauma to his head and upper torso, his left eye was closed and his nose was slanted to the right side.

He was first taken to Easton Hospital but later was transferred to Lehigh Valley Hospital – Cedar Crest, where he required surgery and was in the trauma unit for five days, the complaint said.

The damage to his left ear was “beyond repair.” He was left permanently deaf in that ear.

In the first fight, according to the complaint, Fry told others “watch this” and while outside the house went to the blind side of a juvenile male and “attacked him without provocation.” The juvenile and two others were invited to the party by a mutual friend of Fry’s.

Fry and others beat the juvenile, but the juvenile and the two others were able to leave. They drove south to the Sunoco A Plus Mini Market at Main and Walnut (Route 512) streets, Bath, where plotting for the revenge began.

In April, Fry was accused of threatening another man with a knife at Nazareth Boro-Park.

The following is information on the suspects:

--Joseph Sebastia Esteves, 21, of 3498 Linden St., Bethlehem. Charged with conspiracy – aggravated assault, corruption of minors, loitering and prowling at nighttime, and disorderly conduct – engage in fighting. Released on $5,000 unsecured bail.

--Jeremy Spencer Cummings, 20, and Austin Ryan Cummings, 21, both of 2533 Beacon Road, Moore Township. Both charged with aggravated assault, corruption of minors, disorderly conduct – engage in fighting, and loitering and prowling at nighttime. Jeremy was released on $10,000 bail and Austin was released on $5,000 unsecured bail.

--Felipe Figueiredo Viana, 20, of 5435 Nor-Bath Blvd., East Allen Township. Charged with aggravated assault, conspiracy – aggravated assault, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, harassment, disorderly conduct – engage in fighting, loitering and prowling at nighttime, and corruption of minors. He had a bail hearing Saturday (Dec. 15), spent the rest of Saturday in Lehigh County Prison and was released Sunday on $10,000 bail, online records say.

--John Metri, 19, 231 Old Forge Drive, Bath. Charged with corruption of minors, disorderly conduct – engage in fighting, and loitering and prowling at nighttime. Released on $5,000 unsecured bail.