Man Sentenced to State Prison for Pharmacy Burglary, Shooting

A 57-year-old Allentown man will serve eight to 20 years in state prison for his involvement in a Christmas Eve burglary and shooting at a Bethlehem area pharmacy.

Miguel Angel Martinez was sentenced to the term June 26 by Judge Anna-Kristie M. Marks, according to a news release from Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan’s office.

Martinez had previously pleaded guilty to felony charges of Conspiracy to Commit Burglary and Burglary and a misdemeanor charge of Possessing an Instrument of Crime.

Authorities said Martinez was one of two men who broke into Fountain Hill Pharmacy at 1049 Broadway in Fountain Hill borough shortly after 9 p.m. on Dec. 24, 2024.

As nearby neighbors wrapped Christmas presents and prepared for the holiday, an alarm installed at the pharmacy was activated and police responded, which triggered a standoff with Martinez and another man who police allege was his co-conspirator in the bungled burglary.

David Montes Vazquez, 34, of Bethlehem, is charged with felony Conspiracy to Commit Burglary, Possession of a Prohibited Firearm, Burglary and Receiving Stolen Property, as well as numerous misdemeanor conspiracy offenses.

Authorities say that after police spotted the men inside the drugstore, Vazquez allegedly pointed a gun at a Fountain Hill police officer.

That officer “opened fire, but did not hit either defendant,” the release said.

Residents were ordered to remain inside their homes during the standoff, which came to an end without injury when the men surrendered.

It was later discovered that after allegedly breaking into the pharmacy via ductwork that led to the building’s roof, the men had spraypainted surveillance cameras inside the business while they stole medication.

A status conference related to Vazquez’s case was scheduled to be held June 30, according to the news release about Martinez’s sentencing.

He remains in Lehigh County Prison in lieu of $100,000 bail and is being represented by the Lehigh County Public Defender’s office, according to the Court of Common Pleas docket filed in his case.