BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Former Hellertown Police Chief Robert Shupp appeared in district court Wednesday, part of his ongoing prosecution for allegedly stealing tens of thousands of dollars from the borough.
Shupp went before District Judge Nicholas Englesson to waive his right to a preliminary hearing, sending his case to Northampton County Court.
Shupp did not speak during the hearing or outside the courtroom.
After an informal arraignment in December, Shupp was released pending trial on his own recognizance, meaning he did not have to post bail.
“We are engaged in ongoing discussions with the District Attorney's office with regard to resolution of this case.”Attorney Gary Asteak, representing Robert Shupp
Shupp’s formal arraignment is scheduled for Sept. 5; his attorney, Gary Asteak, said he intends to plead not guilty.
Late last year, prosecutors accused Shupp of stealing more than $122,000 from Hellertown by receiving pay for overtime he never worked, requesting department cash for nonexistent drug buys and taking money seized in the course of police investigations.
He faces 18 counts in all, including charges of forgery, theft, tampering with official records and receiving stolen property.
'Misunderstandings ... accounting issues'
Shupp resigned as Hellertown police chief in October, after borough officials noticed a “discrepancy” in his payroll, Borough Council Vice President Matt Marcincin said.
“We are engaged in ongoing discussions with the District Attorney's office with regard to resolution of this case,” Asteak said.
“There were misunderstandings, there were accounting issues, misunderstandings with regard to contractual obligations.”Attorney Gary Asteak, representing Robert Shupp
“There were misunderstandings, there were accounting issues, misunderstandings with regard to contractual obligations.”
Negotiations include whether some of the allegations should instead be addressed by a civil suit between Shupp and his former employer, rather than in criminal court.
From 2020 to 2023, he was paid for more than 1,600 hours he falsely claimed he worked, totaling more than $81,000, Northampton County Detective Paul Romanic wrote in court documents laying out the charges.
Additionally, Shupp used falsified forms to request and receive roughly $22,000 in $20 bills from the borough for undercover drug investigations that didn’t exist, the charging documents say.
Prosecutors also allege that, as police chief, Shupp alone had access to the safe in which Hellertown police stored nearly $20,000 in seized cash, typically from defendants in drug cases.
When investigators opened that safe, Romanic wrote, they found only $32.58.
