Lehigh County Commissioner Accused of Selling Drugs

A former Bethlehem municipal employee and current member of the Lehigh County Board of Commissioners is facing a long list of charges for allegedly selling drugs at locations throughout the county, including in the Southern Lehigh area.

Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan announced the filing of criminal charges against 35-year-old Zachary Cole Borghi of Bethlehem on Wednesday in what his office said is part of a large-scale, grand jury-led drug investigation.

After initial grand jury charges were announced last summer, the investigation remained ongoing, the DA’s office said.

At that time, Cole Borghi maintained his innocence and claimed the charges against him were politically motivated.

A defiant Cole Borghi told Armchair Lehigh Valley he would remain on the county Board of Commissioners, to which he was re-elected in November, and said he planned to pursue legal action against anyone who conspired to destroy his reputation.

Holihan said Wednesday that as part of the ongoing grand jury investigation, search warrants for Cole Borghi’s cell phone and Apple iCloud records were obtained by Lehigh County Drug Task Force detectives investigating his alleged drug dealing.

Police said text messages they obtained show Cole Borghi conducting drug sales from November 2023 through August 2025.

“The locations those crimes occurred include Cole Borghi’s home in the 700 block of Spring Street in Bethlehem (Lehigh County); a relative’s home in the 300 block of 6th Avenue in Bethlehem (Lehigh County); Bethlehem City Hall, where Cole Borghi was employed (Northampton County); and Upper Saucon Township (Lehigh County),” a news release said.

“The investigation revealed a cocaine sale at Northampton County Community College while Cole Borghi was attending the ‘Peace and Justice Symposium’ presented by the Lehigh Valley Justice Institute,” it added. “The investigation also revealed that Cole Borghi purchased and sold cocaine from his home and while working at Bethlehem City Hall.”

In addition to the release about the charges against Cole Borghi, the district attorney’s office shared copies of four criminal complaints which contain text message conversations in which he allegedly participated while arranging various drug sales.

In a series of messages dated Dec. 25-26, 2023, Cole Borghi allegedly told a source who was attempting to purchase drugs from him, “I work at city hall so I can’t meet around here, but I can meet you on my lunch at 11?”

Another affidavit includes an alleged exchange between Cole Borghi and a source to arrange the sale of three “8-balls” of cocaine for $550 at a location on Chestnut Hill Road in Upper Saucon Township in July of last year, as well as a text in which he allegedly recommends that a buyer of drugs “slow down and enjoy it” and says “this shit is good and still has me going.”

According to published reports, Cole Borghi was employed as the City of Bethlehem’s Right to Know Officer until his employment was terminated in August of last year, after the grand jury’s initial findings were made public.

A Democrat, Cole Borghi remains on the Lehigh County Board of Commissioners. At least one other commissioner has called for him to resign, but there is no mechanism to remove someone based on criminal allegations, Channel 69 News reported.

Among the charges Cole Borghi is facing are 89 felony counts of Criminal Use of a Communication Facility, 14 counts of Delivery of a Controlled Substance (Cocaine) and one count of Delivery of a Controlled Substance (Psilocybin Mushrooms).

Following his arrest and a preliminary arraignment that was held Wednesday, Cole Borghi was remanded to the Lehigh County Jail in lieu of $500,000 straight bail, according to the DA’s office and court records.

The records did not list an attorney for Cole Borghi, whose next court date is an April 8 preliminary hearing before District Judge Tom Creighton.

Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using information provided by the Lehigh County District Attorney’s office and Lehigh County court records.