ALLENTOWN, PA. – The Lehigh County District Attorney’s office says an arrest has been made in a homicide that occurred in Allentown Thursday.
17-year-old Yaniel Fermin of Allentown, was taken into custody less than 24 hours after allegedly shooting and killing 19-year-old Jeomy Soto, and is charged with criminal homicide, possession with intent to deliver and possession of a firearm by a minor.
The District Attorney’s office says that at 9:16 p.m. on Jan. 22, 2026, Allentown Police were called to the 500 block of West Washington Street for a report of a man who had been shot in the back of a residence.
Officers found the victim, identified as Jeomy Miguel Soto, suffering from gunshot wounds. Soto died at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Muhlenberg and his death was ruled a homicide by the Lehigh County Coroner.
On Jan. 23, 2026, an autopsy was held at the Lehigh County Coroner’s Office after which the cause of Soto’s death was determined to be gunshot wounds and the manner of death was determined to be homicide.
A witness, whose name will not be released, was interviewed by police. The witness said he was with Soto at the time of the shooting and met with a man he only knew as “Po” to collect money owed to him for the sale of THC vapes. “Po” was later identified by police as Yaniel Fermin.
Fermin disagreed about the money owed and a fight ensued between Fermin and the witness. During that fight, Fermin was in possession of a 9mm semiautomatic handgun and fired at least two shots which struck Soto who was standing nearby.
Fermin is under the age of 18 and possession of a 9mm semiautomatic handgun by a 17-year-old in these circumstances is illegal in Pennsylvania.
On Jan. 23 2026, Fermin was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by Allentown Police Department Patrol Officers near the area of 6th and West Cedar Streets. Inside that vehicle in close proximity to Fermin, police found THC vapes, a large amount of marijuana and other drug paraphernalia.
As a result of the vehicle stop and the resulting drug charges Fermin was in custody at approximately 12:30pm Jan. 23, 2026 and the investigation continued.
The charges of Criminal Homicide and Possession of a Firearm by a Minor are related to the shooting of Soto on Jan. 22, 2026 and the charge of Possession with Intent to Deliver is related to the vehicle stop on Jan. 23, 2026.
Although he is 17 years of age, Fermin was arrested as an adult on all charges as permitted by Pennsylvania law at the discretion of the District Attorney.
Fermin is in Lehigh County Jail without bail and his preliminary hearing is scheduled for 1:15 p.m. Friday, January 30 in Lehigh County Central Court.
The District Attorney’s office says they do not believe there is any continuing risk to the community arising out of this criminal episode.
This investigation is on-going and anyone with additional information is asked to contact the Allentown Police Department.
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The Lehigh County Coroner has released the identity of a young man who died after a shooting in Allentown on Thursday.