East Stroudsburg, Monroe County — A 70-year-old Stroudsburg man charged with calling in a gun threat to an East Stroudsburg bank in March is still awaiting a preliminary hearing more than six weeks after his arrest in New Jersey, court records show.
James Joseph Clyde faces one felony count of terroristic threats (18 Pa.C.S. § 2706(a)(1), F-3) and one misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct — hazardous/physically offensive condition (18 Pa.C.S. § 5503(a)(4), M-3) before Magisterial District Judge Michael A. Wolbert. The case remains listed as inactive and awaiting preliminary hearing as of April 24, 2026.
The threat
On March 9, 2026, at 11:15 a.m., Stroud Area Regional Police responded to the ESSA Bank & Trust branch at 75 Washington Street in East Stroudsburg after the branch manager reported receiving a phone call from Clyde. According to the criminal complaint, Clyde told the bank he was coming in with a gun to get his money. The branch was temporarily closed as a precaution.
ESSA Bank & Trust, headquartered in Stroudsburg, has operated the East Stroudsburg branch since 1984. Charges were filed and an arrest warrant was issued the same day by MDJ Wolbert. Officer John F. Spetalas Jr. of Stroud Area Regional Police is listed as the arresting officer.
Arrest in Teaneck, NJ
Eight days later, on March 17, Teaneck Police Department officers picked up Clyde on the outstanding Monroe County warrant. According to Teaneck Deputy Chief Seth Kriegel, officers stopped Clyde around 12:15 p.m. as he was walking on Cedar Lane near Palisade Avenue. Police had been looking for him after he made statements suggesting he wanted to harm himself while doing business at a local bank in the Teaneck area. A computer check turned up the active Pennsylvania warrant, and he was placed under arrest. Clyde gave a Stroudsburg address.
He was transported and committed to the Bergen County Jail in Hackensack.
Prior record
Court records show Clyde — who also lists a Montour Falls, New York address — was convicted in Susquehanna County in 2023 on five summary traffic offenses processed through MDJ 34-3-02. In April 2023, he was found guilty at summary trial on four counts: driving an unregistered vehicle (75 Pa.C.S. § 1301(a)), failure to carry registration (§ 1311(b)), failure to cooperate with an officer’s investigation (§ 6308(a)), and driving without a license (§ 1501(a)). A fifth charge — failure to carry a license (§ 1511(a)) — resulted in a guilty plea the month before.
What’s next
Clyde has not requested a public defender, has not been fingerprinted, and no attorney is listed for him in the docket. The Monroe County District Attorney’s Office is prosecuting. No preliminary hearing date has been scheduled.
Clyde is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Case Reference
- Docket: MJ-43202-CR-0000043-2026
- OTN: F 1017942-2
- Incident No.: 2026-005638
- Charges: 18 Pa.C.S. § 2706(a)(1) — Terroristic Threats (F-3); 18 Pa.C.S. § 5503(a)(4) — Disorderly Conduct (M-3)
- Arresting Agency: Stroud Area Regional Police Dept.
- Arresting Officer: Spetalas, John F. Jr.
- MDJ: Michael A. Wolbert (43-2-02)
- Status: Inactive — Awaiting Preliminary Hearing