CATASAUQUA, Pa. – One of the men from the father-son duo charged after an explosive device was thrown from a vehicle near a Catasauqua polling place on Primary Election Day in May is now accused of harassing somebody who testified in the case.
According to court paperwork, Jack Pletz is charged with harassment and operation of a vehicle with a suspended or revoked license.
Officials say Matthew Pletz and his son, Jack Pletz, both of Catasauqua, were previously charged with felony counts of conspiracy to commit weapons of mass destruction (unlawful possession or manufacture) and conspiracy to commit risking a catastrophe.
They also face misdemeanor charges of conspiracy to carry explosives on conveyances, conspiracy to make offensive weapons, and conspiracy to possess prohibited offensive weapons.
A person who testified at Jack Pletz’s preliminary hearing in the explosives case told Pennsylvania State Police on Aug. 5 that he did not feel safe due to a combination of the potential for retaliation for his testimony, Jack Pletz driving vehicles with a dark window tint while having a suspended driver’s license, and Pletz’s recent charges in the explosives case and a firearms case, authorities said in court documents.
The person told police that since Pletz is accused of unlawfully possessing a firearm, he was troubled of the potential for him to illegally obtain another firearm, court paperwork says.
According to police, the person said he was standing in the street on July 31 when a pickup truck known to be driven by Pletz traveled slowly past him. The person said the front driver’s side window was down with the driver wearing a bright shirt known to be worn by Pletz, according to court paperwork.
The truck drove toward a stop sign then circled back around and drove towards the person again, slowing down as he passed him, with the front driver’s side window now halfway up, authorities said.
As the pickup truck slowly drove by, the driver was observed to be looking at the person through the window, police said.
According to court paperwork, a voice coming from inside the vehicle who the person said was Jack Pletz’s voice told the person to “go back in your house.”
The person told police he was going to call the police and the pickup truck drove away, speeding up as it approached a stop sign, authorities said in court documents.
Police said footage from the scene corroborated the incident.
Although the person cannot confirm Pletz was driving the vehicle at the time of the verbal threat, state police saw on surveillance footage that on the vehicle’s first pass, the driver’s side window was down, and the driver was wearing a bright shirt consistent with the type of shirt Pletz was previously observed wearing on other surveillance footage, police said in court paperwork.
During an investigation, state police said they found that Pletz had a suspended driver’s license, and that he had been issued 72 summary traffic violation warrants for his arrest.
He faces a preliminary hearing on Aug. 28. Bail was set at $5,000.
The charges in the explosives and firearms cases stem from an incident on the morning of May 19 near Salem United Church of Christ, located at 615 Third St., which was being used as a polling place.
The Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office has noted that, to date, there is no evidence suggesting the explosion was related to primary election activities or that the church was targeted as a polling site.
Pennsylvania State Police determined the explosive device was detonated at an intersection near the church. Polling place operations were not interrupted, and residents were still able to cast their ballots.
Additional charges were filed against Jack Pletz, including person not to possess a firearm and possession of a firearm with an altered serial number, officials said.
While investigating the explosion, state police found a 12-gauge shotgun with no serial number inside the home, as well as matching shotgun ammunition in Jack Pletz’s bedroom, according to authorities.
Investigators later matched a fingerprint on the shotgun to Jack Pletz, authorities said.