Bail denied after man threatens to execute magistrate

Mar. 2—A Warrior Run man who stayed inside the bathroom of a laundromat for more than an hour flew into a rage when asked to leave, pulling a knife during a confrontation, vowing to rape multiple people and eventually threatening to murder a local magistrate, police said.

Roberto C. Herrera, 32, last known address of 203 Hanover St., was jailed without bail following an arraignment before Magisterial District Judge Rick Cronauer during which Herrera "threatened to blow Judge Cronauer's head off," court records allege.

According to the complaint, Herrera was asked to leave the Spots B Gone laundromat at 357 S. Main St. after spending more than an hour inside the restroom on Tuesday morning.

Herrera then challenged a man to a fight and pulled a knife before he was locked out of the business, police said.

Herrera began screaming and pulled out a baseball bat that he used in an effort to break the glass doors and windows of the business, police said. Officers arriving on scene found Herrera "performing flying kicks" in an effort to re-gain entry into the laundromat, according to the complaint.

Police seized the knife from Herrera's pocket and handcuffed him as he proceeded to hurl racial epithets at a Black man on the scene, police said. Herrera also threatened to rape the man's son "with that baseball bat," according to the complaint.

While being transported to police headquarters, Herrera began spitting and, when told to stop, responded by threatening to rape a police officer's mother, the charges allege.

After Herrera was placed in a holding cell, he proceeded to urinate on the floor, police said.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, police had to clean and sanitize the transport vehicle as well as the holding cell because they could be re-used, police said.

Police charged Herrera with disorderly conduct, making terroristic threats, institutional vandalism and harassment.

Court records show that during his arraignment before Cronauer, Herrera leveled his threat against the judge. It was not immediately clear if he would face additional charges over that allegation.

Cronauer subsequently denied bail and set a preliminary hearing for March 16.

Herrera was being held at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility.

Contact the writer: jhalpin@citizensvoice.com; 570-821-2058