Man waives hearing on magistrate threats

A man accused of writing threatening remarks to a magistrate and his staff waived a scheduled preliminary hearing on Thursday and was returned to the Carbon County Correctional Facility in lieu of $1 million monetary bail.

Mohammad Rehan Shah, who has a Nesquehoning address, according to court records, but reportedly lives in Monroe County according to family members, was scheduled for a hearing not only on the threats to the magistrate but also on a Nesquehoning burglary charge.

His lawyer, attorney Robert Sauman of Sauman Law LLC, Stroudsburg, requested the waiver after Shah became apparently agitated just before the start of the hearing.

The hearing was scheduled before Judge William Kissner in the Carbon County Courthouse.

Shah faces charges of retaliation against prosecutor or judicial official, threats and other improper influence in official and political matters, terroristic threats and obstructing administrative law or other government function.

Originally, he faced charges from an incident on Aug. 19 in Nesquehoning. In that case, he was charged with burglary, criminal trespass, terrorist threats, theft by unlawful taking and harassment.

The affidavit for the second incident was filed by Detective Timothy Nothstein of the Carbon County District Attorney’s office.

It states that the hearing for the burglary charge was to be held Aug. 28 before District Judge Casimir Kosciolek in Lansford.

On Aug. 21, the hearing was rescheduled until Sept. 18. A continuance paper was given to Shah, who wrote obscenities on the signature line.

On Sept. 11, another continuance occurred. On the signature line where Shah was supposed to write his name, he wrote, “(Expletive), my milennia is coming you filthy (expletive) criminals. …” He also mentioned the Second Amendment and said, in part, “you will have no place to run we wil hunt you down jails will be full streets will be blood.”

The affidavit says, “The content on the note caused Judge Kosciolek and his staff to fear that Shah would attempt acts of violence toward them and their office.”

It adds, “Due to the fears and concerns shared by the judge and his staff, Judge Kosciolek recused himself from Shah’s case.”