A 22-year-old Nazareth woman and four teenagers are facing multiple felony charges after police say they broke into a woman’s house, brutally beat her and threatened gunfire if she fought back.
Zaydin Jeremiah DeJesus, 18, of the 800 block of Argus Street, is charged with felony burglary; felony criminal trespass; felony robbery; felony aggravated assault and misdemeanor offenses, including simple assault.
His co-defendants include Jayden Collazo and Naskysja-Lee E. Martinez, both 18 of Bethlehem; Jordan Rios, 18; and Jaylene Gonzalez, 22, of Nazareth.
Collazo, Martinez and Gonzalez are all facing similar charges. Rios was 17 and a juvenile at the time of the incident and is facing charges with the Northampton County Juvenile Justice Center.
DeJesus was arraigned Wednesday before District Judge John Capobianco, who set bail at $500,000. In lieu of bail, he was taken to the Northampton County Prison, where he remained Thursday morning.
Collazo and Martinez were both arraigned July 12 before District Judge Jordan Knisley, who set bail at $50,000 and 10% of $100,000, respectively. In lieu of bail, both Collazo and Martinez initially were sent to Northampton County Prison. However, court records show both have since posted bail.
Gonzalez was arraigned July 15 before Knisley, who set bail at $100,000. In lieu of bail, Gonzalez initially was sent to Northampton County Prison. However, court records show she also has since posted bail.
There was no attorney information immediately listed in court records for DeJesus or Martinez. Gonzalez no longer has representation, her former attorney told lehighvalleylive.com. Theodore Andrew Skaarup, the public defender representing Collazo, couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.
Bethlehem police say the 20-year-old female victim knew the suspects and the assault stemmed from a relationship dispute involving the victim and Gonzalez’s former boyfriend.
City officers just before 3:45 p.m. July 11 were called to the victim’s home in the 500 block of East Fifth Street for a reported burglary. Collazo and Rios were repeatedly kicking in the front door, according to the affidavit of probable cause against the co-defendants.
When that didn’t work, Rios and Collazo helped DeJesus enter through a window, the affidavit states.
The woman reported a black Honda Accord owned by Gonzalez also was parked outside her home, city police said.
In fear of her safety, the victim reported running to the attic and hiding. She then heard the front door open and people walking upstairs, according to police.
Martinez and Gonzalez eventually found the victim in the attic and repeatedly attacked her, police said.
Martinez punched the woman in the face, forcibly took her iPhone to prevent her from calling for help, and whipped her in the head with the phone, causing the woman to become dizzy, police said.
DeJesus restrained the victim by holding her legs down while Gonzalez and Martinez repeatedly kicked and stomped her about the face, head and body, court records state.
DeJesus instructed the victim not to fight back and showed the handle of a firearm tucked into his waistband, causing the victim to fear she would be shot if she resisted, the affidavit states.
The five co-defendants then left and smashed the victim’s cellphone on the ground outside the house before all driving away in the Honda, police said.
Investigators found multiple injuries on the victim consistent with her account of events. These included shoe tread impressions on the victim’s right side of her neck, hand, and face, as well as scratches and a bruise on her head, police said.
Video surveillance footage captured the whereabouts of the Honda. Video also showed the involved vehicles traveling together over the Fahy Bridge and toward the victim’s home just prior to the incident, court records state.
DeJesus is due back in court for a preliminary hearing tentatively scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Oct. 7 before District Judge Jordan Knisley. A judge will then determine if there’s sufficient evidence to send the case toward trial at the Northampton County Court of Common Pleas.
Collazo and Gonzalez were both scheduled to appear Thursday morning for a formal arraignment at the Northampton County Court of Common Pleas. Martinez is due back in county court for a formal arraignment scheduled for 9 a.m. Oct. 22.