Law enforcement officials in Pennsylvania arrested an employee of Allentown City after they say that she staged a hate crime hoax.
The Allentown Police Department alleges that LaTarsha Brown contacted the department on January 10, 2025, just after 7:30 a.m. to report that she had found what she claimed was “a noose on her desk upon arriving at work,” police say.
Numerous law enforcement entities quickly became engaged in the criminal investigation, including the FBI, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office.
Police used building video surveillance and access control records to whittle down the list of potential suspects who were present on the third floor of the building where her desk was located between the time she left for work the previous day and the morning that she called police.
“Those employees were interviewed, and each was asked if they would provide a buccal swab for DNA testing if needed. Every city employee agreed, except for Ms. Brown,” police said in a statement. “Initially cooperative, Ms. Brown later requested that the investigation be discontinued.”
Officials said that the Forensic DNA Division of the Pennsylvania State Police issued a written report on March 10 indicating that Brown’s DNA “matched the DNA profile obtained from the swabs of both the outer surface and the inner knotted portion of the noose after taken apart.”
“No other person’s DNA profiles was found on the evidentiary items involved in this investigation,” police said.
Brown was subsequently charged by the Allentown Police Department on two criminal charges, including Tampering With Or Fabricating Physical Evidence (a misdemeanor of the second degree) and False Reports To Law Enforcement Authorities (a misdemeanor of the third degree).
Allentown city hall employee charged with planting noose on her own desk in January. LaTarsha Brown charged with fabricating physical evidence & false report to law enforcement. Allentown Police say Brown asked “the investigation be discontinued” after city employees on her… pic.twitter.com/FLPToNmh7x
— Steve Keeley (@KeeleyFox29) March 24, 2025
