BETHLEHEM, Pa. – A former police officer once trusted to protect middle school students is now headed to state prison potentially for decades on sexual assault charges.
On Monday, Costas Alestas, a former Bethlehem City Police Officer, has been sentenced to 10-20 years in state prison after pleading guilty to the charges of Involuntary Deviate Sexual Intercourse and Invasion of Privacy, according to a press release from the Northampton County District Attorney’s Office.
Police say after serving his time in state prison, he will also spend three years on probation, while an additional one-year probation sentence for an invasion of privacy charge will run at the same time.
This all comes after Alestas attempted to withdraw his guilty plea from April, claiming he was innocent.
On May 1, 2024, the Bethlehem City Police Department was notified of allegations concerning an inappropriate relationship between Officer Alestas and a girl student at East Hills Middle School, according to the release. At the time, Alestas was serving as a School Resource Officer (SRO) employed by the City of Bethlehem Police Department, officers say.
Authorities say following the report, police were notified immediately, and Officer Alestas was placed on administrative leave.
Alestas surrendered his cell phone to the police, and a thorough investigation revealed that he had engaged in an inappropriate ongoing relationship with the student.
Additionally, police recovered evidence that Alestas recorded video up an 11-year-old girl’s skirt without her knowledge, court documents say.
The DA Office says Alestas was charged with several 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.
Officials say Alestas will be registered as a sex offender on Megan’s Law for the rest of his life.