The former borough manager of Fountain Hill pleaded guilty Friday to two third degree misdemeanor counts of solicitation to commit prostitution in the Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas.
Former Fountain Hill borough manager Eric Gratz pleaded guilty Friday to misdemeanor charges of solicitation to commit prostitution in two different incidents, one of which authorities said involved a 17-year-old girl. He was sentenced to two years of probation, the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office announced. (FILE PHOTO)
Alburtis resident Eric Gratz, 42, admitted to the charges as part of a negotiated plea, and in a hearing before county Judge Anna-Kristie Marks and was sentenced to two years of probation, the Lehigh County District Attorney’s office announced.
According to a news release from the DA’s office, an investigation that began with a February 2023 complaint to the Fountain Hill mayor’s office concluded that Gratz had texted a 17-year-old junior firefighter offering to pay her money in exchange for sexual acts. The investigation revealed that Gratz initiated communication with the girl at the volunteer fire company in December 2022–a little over a year after being hired by the borough–and that he used a borough-issued cell phone to text her “on numerous occasions” in the weeks that followed, authorities said.
The district attorney’s office said no evidence was uncovered that sexual contact involving Gratz and the girl ever occurred.
In another case, the office said Gratz attempted to solicit sexual acts from a former employee in exchange for monetary payment.
Authorities said that happened in late 2021, when he was employed as the Director of Emergency Medical Services for the City of Allentown.
“The victim was hired by Gratz and she said in October 2021, Gratz told her she was not fit to work at the agency and to not show up for work,” the news release said. “In November 2021, the victim said Gratz contacted her via social media and offered to pay her for a sexual act and she refused.”
The district attorney’s office said that following his sentencing Gratz remained free on $5,000 unsecured bail.
After he was charged in March 2023, Fountain Hill Borough Council initially voted to place him on unpaid administrative leave. The borough, however, later voted to terminate Gratz and hired a new manager.
This case against Gratz was investigated by the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office, Special Victim’s Unit, and Lehigh County Detective Gregg Dietz, and was prosecuted by Senior Deputy District Attorney Christine F. Murphy.
Gratz was represented in court by Allentown defense attorney Joshua Karoly, according to court papers.