Teen Heads to County Court on Assault Charge

Josef A. Riley, 18, of Conshohocken, will head to county arraignment Feb. 15 on charges of simple assault, terroristic threats and disorderly conduct, following a stipulation agreement Friday morning at District Court in Lansdale.

A summary offense of harassment was dropped. Bail was also reduced from $50,000 cash to 10 percent of $20,000.

“After speaking with the defendant and informing him of informations and other things, we decided to go this route,” said special assistant public defender Brandon Pack.

District Judge Harold Borek was not present at district court on Friday.

Riley, a Perkiomen Valley High School grad with a last known address of the 400 block of West Fourth Street, allegedly punched an elderly employee at in Lansdale, claimed he was a Crip gang member and threatened to get a gun and shoot the victim.

Police responded to Pedaller Bike Shop at 12:35 p.m. Dec. 28, located on the 500 block of South Broad Street in The Pavilion Shopping Center.

Reports indicated a young, white male, wearing all black clothing, was assaulting and threatening to shoot an elderly male, police said.

When police arrived, Riley began running from the scene, police said.

Riley was found not to be in possession of a gun. When officers informed him of the report of a threat with a gun, Riley told police, "I'm going to go to North Philly, get my gun and come back and shoot him! I'm a Crip!"

Here's what the 76-year-old victim told police.

Riley had come into the shop asking about buying two bicycles, police said.

Riley told the victim he needed to make arrangements to get more money and suddenly walked behind the counter and began using the business's computer without authorization, police said.

The victim told Riley he could not be behind the counter, at which time Riley allegedly became enraged and began cursing at the man, police said.

Riley then allegedly pushed and punched the victim in the face, police said.

Riley has had six criminal incidents in Montgomery County since June 2011, according to docket sheets in the Pennsylvania Unified Judicial System.

He was cited for disorderly conduct-unreasonable noise in Conshohocken on the same day of the Lansdale, according to county records.

Riley was arrested in Skippack Township on June 27, 2011 for simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and criminal mischief, according to county records.

Bail was modified to $5,000 straight cash in lieu of $10,000 unsecured. All charges were held to county court, with a pre-arraignment holding of Dec. 14, 2011.

Riley was arrested again in Skippack on July 23, 2011 for simple assault and harassment, according to county records.

A pre-trial conference has been set in county court for Jan. 11, 2012 on all these previous charges.