City employee accused of planting noose on her own desk at Pennsylvania city hall in alleged staged hate crime

A Pennsylvania metropolis worker has been arrested pursuing a months-long probe aft she allegedly falsely reported uncovering a noose connected her desk. 

During a quality league connected Monday, the Allentown Police Department announced the apprehension of metropolis worker LaTarsha Brown, who constabulary said made a study connected Jan. 10, aft she reported uncovering a noose connected her table erstwhile she arrived for enactment astatine City Hall. 

A transgression probe was initiated pursuing Brown's study to place the idiosyncratic liable for placing the noose connected her desk. 

During the investigation, constabulary said video surveillance and gathering entree power records were reviewed to place metropolis employees contiguous connected the 3rd level of City Hall betwixt the clip Brown near enactment connected the day of Jan. 9 and her accomplishment connected the greeting of Jan. 10. 

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Officials successful Allentown, Pa., announced Monday that a metropolis worker had been charged aft they said she planted a noose connected her ain table and filed a mendacious report. (Allentown Police Department)

Each worker was interviewed, constabulary said, and was asked if they would supply a buccal swab for DNA testing, if needed. 

Police said each metropolis worker agreed, but for Brown, who officers said was "initially cooperative" but aboriginal requested that the probe beryllium discontinued.

Days later, Brown's DNA illustration was obtained done a hunt warrant aft the noose was submitted to the Pennsylvania State Police transgression laboratory for DNA testing.

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An Allentown metropolis worker has been charged aft reporting a noose recovered connected her table astatine metropolis hall. (Allentown Police Department)

Police determined that Brown's DNA matched the DNA recovered connected the noose, according to a forensic study issued connected March 10.

"No different person’s DNA illustration was recovered connected the evidentiary items progressive successful this investigation," constabulary said successful a release.

As a effect of the findings, constabulary said that Brown is present facing charges successful transportation with the noose investigation, including tampering with oregon fabricating carnal grounds and mendacious reports to instrumentality enforcement authorities.

When asked astir the aboriginal of Brown's employment, Allentown Police Chief Charles Roca said helium could not remark but that Brown is inactive presently employed by the city.

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Allentown, Pa., arsenic seen from the Tilghman Street Bridge. (Charles Creitz/Fox News Digital)

Roca added that Brown's motive for her actions could not beryllium discussed. 

Brown is scheduled for a preliminary tribunal proceeding connected April 22.

Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk told Fox News Digital that this was a "serious incident" and that they are moving intimately with instrumentality enforcement. 

"This was a superior incidental that profoundly impacts employees who are dedicated to serving Allentown, and we’re praying for bid for each affected," Tuerk's bureau shared successful a statement. 

"We’re grateful for the enactment of Allentown PD, Pennsylvania State Police, and the FBI for their thorough investigation. We stay committed to a safe, welcoming workplace successful our city."

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Brown's lawsuit mimics the lawsuit of histrion Jussie Smollett, who reported to Chicago constabulary that helium was the unfortunate of a racist and homophobic onslaught by 2 men wearing skis masks successful January 2019.

The "Empire" histrion was primitively convicted of orchestrating the hatred crime, but aft filing a petition, Smollett had his charges overturned by the Illinois Supreme Court successful November 2024 arsenic a justice ruled helium should not person been charged a 2nd clip owed to a woody helium reached with prosecutors and that it violated his rights. 

Fox News Digital's Lauryn Overhultz contributed to this report. 

Stepheny Price is simply a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, nationalist transgression cases, amerciable immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas tin beryllium sent to [email protected]