Threat charges against man bound for court

Charges against a Lansford man accused of threatening his ex-wife and for threatening state police with a reference to the Orlando, Florida, attack have been bound over for court.

John R. Large, 53, chose to have a preliminary hearing Friday before District Judge William Kissner of Palmerton for two separate incidents.

In the first case, Carbon County Assistant District Attorney Michael Greek called Large’s ex-wife to testify.

The victim said she received a threatening letter with a calendar that was left in her mailbox by Large.

She said the letter, which she believed to be dated June 3, 2016, was a very serious threat made by Large.

The victim said that Large sent text messages to their son on June 12, and on June 14, she received two voicemails from Large.

“My life was threatened,” the victim said.

Trooper Joseph Wood of the Pennsylvania State Police, the next witness called to testify, said there was a threatening letter, and that the June 2016 calendar page had “Tick Tock” written on every day of the month up to June 19, which was Father’s Day that year.

On June 12 of that year, police were called by the victim concerning a deceased crow and a deceased snake that were sitting on the corner of her driveway, both accompanied by pieces of paper under the snake and in the mouth of the crow.

When he arrived, Wood said he saw the crow and snake sitting in the victim’s driveway. He said he removed the notes from the dead crow and snake.

For that incident, Large faces two charges each of terroristic threats and harassment, as well as one count each of stalking, unlawful acts concerning licenses, display of license, and permits for protection and management of particular fish.

Kissner ruled that Large would have his charges bound over to the Carbon County Court of Common Pleas. He is scheduled to appear for a pretrial conference in the district attorney’s office.

In the second case, Greek called Cpl. Shawn Noonan to testify.

Noonan said that on June 13, 2016, Large called Pennsylvania State Police and spoke to the crime unit supervisor.

He said that Large called back and spoke to Noonan because he wanted to know the identity of the person he spoke with and that he wanted to do recon and harm the crime unit supervisor.

Noonan said Large called back again and spoke with Noonan, stating that he knew there were multiple active warrants for him and that he wasn’t going back to jail and had been preparing for this.

Noonan said Large also said not to bother putting more troopers on the road to look for him because it was all going to go down, and that he was going to make the Orlando, Florida, attack look small.

An emergency ping was generated for his cellphone and it gave the location in Vermont.

A joint investigation between Vermont and Pennsylvania State Police showed that Large was staying at an acquaintance’s residence in Washington, Vermont.

Vermont State Police located Large at the residence at 185 Turnpike Road, according to a post on the department’s Facebook page.

The Vermont State Police Tactical Support Unit and the Crisis Negotiations Unit were called and removed the owners of the home.

Large was later taken into custody without incident.

For that incident, he faces charges on one count each of terrorism, terroristic threats and harassment.

Kissner ruled that Large would have his charges bound over to the county court of common pleas.

In June 2016, during his arraignment in Orange County, Vermont, Large had to be removed from a courtroom after threatening a judge and causing a scene inside the courtroom.

Also around that time, Large called in a bomb threat to both the home and office of Palmerton attorney Gerald Strubinger Jr.

According to court records, Strubinger represented Large’s ex-wife in a custody hearing.

Large is scheduled to appear on Nov. 7 for a pretrial conference in the district attorney’s office.

He remains in the Carbon County Correctional Facility in lieu of $100,000 straight bail on the one case, and $150,000 straight bail on the other case.