Alleged Cigarette-Throwing Hotel Manager Case Dropped

A former Best Western hotel manager had a harasment citation formally dropped Thursday by District Judge Michael Faulkner after the alleged victim failed to file charges.

Jessenia Mateo, 35, of Allentown was cited for harassment in March after Upper Macungie Police responded to a call about a disturbance at the Best Western Hotel at 5650 Tilghman St. 

At the time, police said Mateo threw a cigarette at a female guest during an argument in the hotel lobby over room rates.

Upper Macungie Police officer Matt Gardner told Faulkner that the woman was living at the hotel at the time and was "adamant about filing charges."

However, Gardner told Faulkner that despite numerous attempts by phone and subpoena, the woman failed to respond.

Faulkner dropped the citation since Gardner did not see the alleged incident and the hotel guest was unavailable.

"Keep it on the [down low]," he told Mateo.

Mateo, who said she was not fired from her job at the Best Western following the incident, is leaving her position for another one in New Jersey.

"It was just an irate guest" was all Mateo said.