A Northampton County jury delivered a guilty verdict Friday morning against Justin Noel Hale, 36, of Bethlehem, finding him culpable in a South Side armed robbery that occurred nearly five years ago.
The jury convicted Hale on charges of Robbery, Conspiracy to Commit Robbery, Theft, Receiving Stolen Property, Recklessly Endangering, Terroristic Threats and Firearms Not to be Carried Without a License.
The case dates back to March 29, 2020, when Bethlehem City Police responded to a report of an armed robbery in the Five Points area of South Bethlehem. The victim of the robbery testified at trial that Hale and another man entered his Wyandotte Street apartment around 4 p.m. and threatened him with firearms.
Aware that the victim had recently received a $3500 insurance settlement, Hale and his companion then stole the cash, with Hale striking the victim’s head with his gun and ripping a necklace from around his neck in the process. The pair then fled the apartment, pursued by the victim, who testified that Hale discharged a firearm in his direction in the vicinity of Cherokee Street before escaping in a black Audi.
Bethlehem Police officers later stopped the Audi in the 500 block of Seneca Street, where a discarded Taurus revolver and a Smith and Wesson semi-automatic handgun were recovered.
In October 2022, a different jury found Hale guilty of Robbery and firearms offenses in the case. Northampton County Judge Samuel P. Murray ordered a new trial after a witness recanted previous statements made to police.
Following Friday’s guilty verdict, Hale’s bail was revoked and he was committed to Northampton County Prison. Sentencing is scheduled for March 6 before Judge Anthony Beltrami, with Hale facing a maximum sentence of 54 years in prison.
The case was investigated by Lt. Blake Kuntz of the Bethlehem Police Department and prosecuted by Senior Deputy District Attorney Jeffrey Dimmig.
This story is based on information contained in a Jan. 13, 2025 Northampton County District Attorney’s office news release. It was produced with assistance from generative AI technology.
