Three charged with attacking, robbing man

A trio of men are have been charged in a Bethlehem Township robbery in which they allegedly assaulted a man and stole a backpack containing three handguns.

George Luis Hernandez, 27, of the 600 block of Itaska Street, Bethlehem; Jordan Charles West, 26, of the 2000 block of South Delaware Street, Allentown; and Gabriel Alexander Rivera-Soto, 25, of the 2300 block of Black River Road, Lower Saucon Township, were each charged with aggravated assault, robbery, multiple counts of theft, conspiracy and reckless endangerment. They were arraigned Wednesday before District Judge Patricia Broscius and sent to Northampton County Jail under $250,000 bail.

According to court records: Rakeem Smith was chatting online about hunting with Hernandez and West on Oct. 4. At some point, he asked the men for a ride to Easton.

Hernandez, Smith and another man later identified as Rivera-Soto arrived at Smith’s mother’s home in Bethlehem Township to pick him up. He had a backpack with him containing three semi-automatic handguns that belonged to his girlfriend.

At one point, Rivera-Soto pulled out a knife and ordered Smith to hand over the bag. West also pulled a knife and Smith said the two of them tried to stab him. He managed to fend them off, but then Rivera-Soto kicked him in the face before reaching into the bag and grabbing a gun, which he used to hit Smith in the face.

Smith jumped out of the car and left his cellphone and the handguns with the three men. He had injuries to his face and torso from the attack, police said.

Early Tuesday morning, Bethlehem police stopped the vehicle they were in, which had been reported stolen. Hernandez, West and Rivera-Soto were all in the car during the traffic stop, as were the three handguns, police said.