Kenny Allen failed to appear December 10 — his second bench warrant in same case

STROUDSBURG, MONROE COUNTY — A Newark, New Jersey man who entered a no-contest plea to theft and weapons charges in September is now wanted after failing to appear for sentencing last week, according to Monroe County court records.

Kenny Allen, 29, was scheduled to be sentenced December 10, 2025 before Judge Jennifer Harlacher Sibum on charges stemming from a June 2023 incident in Stroud Township. He did not appear. An active bench warrant has been issued for his arrest.

It’s the second time Allen has been a no-show in the two-year-old case.

Allen is described in court records as a male, date of birth November 27, 1995, with a Newark, New Jersey address. No physical description is available in the public docket.

Anyone with information on Allen’s whereabouts should contact the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office or Pennsylvania State Police.

The Charges

Stroud Area Regional Police Officer Robert D. Eberle charged Allen following a June 22, 2023 incident in Stroud Township. The criminal complaint, filed August 28, 2023, alleged:

• Theft by unlawful taking — movable property (M3)
• Possession of instrument of crime with intent (M1)
• Receiving stolen property (M1)

The “possession of instrument of crime” charge under 18 Pa.C.S. § 907 typically involves tools or devices possessed with intent to use them criminally — commonly burglary tools, but the statute covers any instrument adapted for criminal use.

Allen was not alone. Court records show a joined codefendant case: Jordan Saladine Ford faces related charges under docket CP-45-CR-0002445-2023, with the cases consolidated pursuant to Pennsylvania Rule of Criminal Procedure 582(B)(1).

A Case That Dragged On

What should have been a straightforward misdemeanor prosecution stretched across two years and multiple court dates.

Allen posted $5,000 unsecured bail on October 18, 2023, the same day Magisterial District Judge Paul J. Gasper set bail following a hearing. He waived his preliminary hearing on November 29, 2023, without an attorney — representing himself pro se.

The Monroe County District Attorney’s Office filed the formal information on January 17, 2024. Formal arraignment was scheduled for January 22, 2024.

Then Allen stopped showing up.

By April 2025, a bench warrant was issued. On April 23, 2025, Judge Stephen M. Higgins held a bench warrant hearing. Allen eventually appeared, and on May 19, 2025, Judge Jonathan Mark held a formal arraignment and placed the case on the trial calendar.

The Plea — Then Another No-Show

On September 12, 2025, prosecutors filed an amended information. Four days later, on September 16, 2025, Allen appeared before Judge Sibum and entered a nolo contendere plea — “no contest” — to the theft charge.

A nolo contendere plea has the same effect as a guilty plea for sentencing purposes, but the defendant does not formally admit guilt. It’s commonly used when a defendant wants to resolve a case without an admission that could be used against them in civil proceedings.

Judge Sibum accepted the plea and scheduled sentencing for December 10, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. in Courtroom 1. A pre-sentence investigation was ordered.

Allen never appeared.

The case status now shows “Active Bench Warrant.” The docket’s last action: “Sentencing” on December 10, 2025.

What He Faces

Theft by unlawful taking as charged (M3) carries a maximum penalty of one year incarceration. Possession of instrument of crime (M1) carries up to five years. Receiving stolen property (M1) also carries up to five years.

With the no-contest plea already entered, Allen’s failure to appear doesn’t erase the conviction — it simply delays sentencing and adds potential consequences for the warrant.

The Monroe County Public Defender’s Office, through attorney Jacob Thomas Hill, had been representing Allen since August 2025. Assistant District Attorney Monika Halicki prosecuted the case.

Case Reference:

• Defendant: Kenny Allen, DOB 11/27/1995, Newark, NJ
• Docket: CP-45-CR-0002510-2023, Monroe County Court of Common Pleas
• OTN: R 496932-2
• Original Charges: Theft by unlawful taking (M3), possession of instrument of crime (M1), receiving stolen property (M1)
• Disposition: Nolo contendere plea entered September 16, 2025
• Codefendant: Jordan Saladine Ford (CP-45-CR-0002445-2023)
• Judge: Jennifer Harlacher Sibum
• Status: Active bench warrant — failed to appear for sentencing December 10, 2025
• Arresting Agency: Stroud Area Regional Police Department
• Arresting Officer: Robert D. Eberle

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Allen is presumed innocent of any charges on which he has not entered a plea or been convicted. A bench warrant is issued when a defendant fails to appear as required by the court.