A Lehigh County commissioner is among 22 people arrested following what authorities described as a multi-year, multi-state investigation into marijuana distribution.
Zach Cole-Borghi, of Bethlehem, a commissioner since 2021, was among those charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute a pound of marijuana, Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan said during a news conference Friday.
Holihan said officials executed 26 search warrants Thursday, and seized more than $100,000 in cash, 2,000 pounds of marijuana and 25 firearms. More arrests are expected, he said.
Two “clandestine” labs were discovered during the investigation, Holihan said.
Cole-Borghi was arrested at Bethlehem City Hall, Holihan confirmed. He is free on bail.
Holihan said criminal complaints have been sealed, and no further information would be immediately released.
In a statement Friday, the city’s human resources director, Michelle Cichocki, said Cole-Borghi “is no longer an employee of the City of Bethlehem.”
Cole-Borghi was first elected as Lehigh County commissioner in 2021, representing District 3. He ran unopposed in the Democratic primary election in May and faces a rematch of the 2021 race in November against Republican Jacqueline Rivera.
In a statement, Lehigh County commissioners and county administration said they had learned about the charges at the same time as the general public.
“We are deeply saddened to hear of recent unfortunate developments involving Lehigh County Commissioner Zach Cole-Borghi,” the statement said. “The residents of Lehigh County should know that we are monitoring the situation closely and at the first opportunity we will speak with all relevant parties and we hope to have a more substantial statement after we have had the opportunity to gather the facts.”
It was unclear how long Cole-Borghi has been Bethlehem’s open records officer. Before taking that position, he served as director of the Northeast Community Center in Bethlehem and worked in the vacation planning industry, according to a 2021 Morning Call story.
Cole-Borghi is a lifelong Bethlehem resident and attended East Stroudsburg University, according to candidate profiles.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Staff writer Lindsay Weber contributed to this report.
