BETHLEHEM, Pa. – A judge has denied a former Bethlehem school resource officer’s bid to withdraw his guilty plea in a sexual assault case.
Judge Samuel P. Murray denied the motion to withdraw the guilty plea that Costas Alestas filed, according to a news release from the Northampton County Coroner’s Office.
In May of 2024, Bethlehem Police uncovered allegations that Alestas sexually assaulted a girl that had been under his protection as the school resource officer for East Hills Middle School in Bethlehem, the DA’s office said.
The DA’s office said a thorough police investigation confirmed that he committed the sexual offenses. Police also recovered evidence confirming that Alestas secretly recorded an “upskirt” video of another girl, according to the news release.
Authorities said Alestas was charged with several sexual offenses, including statutory sexual assault, institutional sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, criminal use of a communications facility, and invasion of privacy.
The DA’s office said Alestas pleaded guilty to involuntary deviate sexual assault against a person less than 16 years old, a first-degree felony, and invasion of privacy, a third-degree misdemeanor.
Alestas later requested to withdraw his guilty plea, but Judge Murray denied the motion.