Victim Lured to Freedom Athletic Fields, Robbed

A South Bethlehem man is accused of luring another man to the athletic fields of Freedom High School, where he allegedly beat and robbed his victim, according to court papers.

Scott Anthony Sousa, 20, of 2129 Princeton Ave., allegedly had a juvenile accomplice who was also charged but not named in the court papers.

According to the arrest affidavit:

• The victim, Jeremiah Veanus, told Bethlehem Township Police that he had been friends with the juvenile, who showed up at his home Wednesday night with Sousa, and asked him to hang out. The juvenile and Sousa told him they were planning to meet a girl at Freedom High School and he agreed to go along.
• Once at Freedom High School, Sousa pretended to be on the telephone talking to the girl, then told Veanus that she was behind the baseball field. Sousa, Veanus and the juvenile then walked to the baseball field.
• When they arrived, the juvenile punched Veanus, knocking him to the ground. Sousa then joined in, punching him several more times. Veanus suffered a bloody nose and a cut lip.
• The juvenile then went through Veanus’s pockets, taking out his wallet and removing $17 and a bank debit card. Sousa and the juvenile then went to an ATM machine, where they withdrew $200 and split the money.
• Veanus identified the juvenile for police. The juvenile, after confessing to the crime, identified Sousa to police.

Sousa was arrested early Friday and charged with felony robbery, simple assault, theft, receiving stolen property and two counts of conspiracy. He was arraigned before on-duty District Judge Joseph Barner of Lower Nazareth Township and committed to Northampton County Prison after he failed to post $25,000 bail.