A Stroudsburg man charged with three felony counts of strangulation after a domestic violence incident walked out of magisterial court this month with a summary harassment conviction and a $476.25 fine.

Joseph Anthony Leach, 41, entered a guilty plea on April 9, 2026, to a single count of harassment by physical contact before Magisterial District Judge Donald A. Johnson. The charge is a summary offense — the lowest level in Pennsylvania’s criminal grading system, on par with a traffic citation. It carries no jail time.

In exchange for the plea, the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office withdrew every other charge: three felony strangulation counts, three misdemeanor simple assault counts, and two additional harassment counts. Eight of the nine original charges are gone.

The case is now closed. Leach paid the full $476.25 in court costs and a municipal fine on April 16.

What Police Said Happened

The original criminal complaint told a far more serious story than the outcome suggests.

On March 5, 2026, at 6:11 p.m., Stroud Area Regional Police were dispatched to the Yard of Ale on Main Street in Stroudsburg. A woman at the bar reported she had been involved in a domestic violence incident with her ex-boyfriend, Joseph Anthony Leach.

Officers observed the victim had sustained several injuries. Leach was not at the scene.

Police filed charges that same day. MDJ Johnson issued a felony arrest warrant. SARPD posted Leach’s information publicly on CRIMEWATCH and asked anyone with knowledge of his whereabouts to submit tips.

The warrant sat open for nearly a month.

Surrender, Arraignment, and a Quick Resolution

On March 31, 2026, Leach turned himself in at MDJ Johnson’s office accompanied by his attorney, Brian Scott Gaglione of Leeth & Gaglione in Stroudsburg. He was arraigned and released on $5,000 unsecured bail.

Nine days later, at an April 9 preliminary hearing, the entire case resolved at the magisterial level. The DA’s office withdrew eight charges. The single surviving harassment count was moved to a non-traffic docket, and Leach immediately pleaded guilty.

The case never reached the Court of Common Pleas.

What the Original Charges Carried

The distance between what was filed and what Leach ultimately admitted to is worth spelling out.

Strangulation — blocking the nose and mouth of another person — is a second-degree felony in Pennsylvania. A conviction carries up to 10 years in state prison per count. Three counts were filed. All three were withdrawn.

Simple assault is a second-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to two years of incarceration. Three counts were filed. All three were withdrawn.

Of three harassment counts filed, two were withdrawn. The one that survived is the charge Leach pleaded to — a summary offense that resulted in a fine.

Court records do not indicate why the charges were reduced. The Monroe County DA’s Office handled the prosecution. Pocono Review has reached out to the DA’s office for comment on the disposition. This article will be updated with any response.

Prior Criminal History

Leach has prior convictions in Monroe County.

In December 2009, he pleaded guilty before Judge Jerome P. Cheslock to DUI at the highest rate of blood alcohol — BAC .16 or above — as a second offense. He was sentenced to one year of intermediate punishment.

Less than a year later, in September 2010, Leach pleaded guilty before Judge Ronald E. Vican to DUI with general impairment as a third offense. That case also included charges for driving on a DUI-suspended license, disregard of traffic lane, depositing waste on a highway, and careless driving. He received one to two years of confinement.

Case Reference

Criminal Docket: MJ-43201-CR-0000075-2026 Non-Traffic Docket: MJ-43201-NT-0000118-2026 Incident Number: 2026-005353 Arresting Agency: Stroud Area Regional Police Department Arresting Officer: Officer Robert B. Farris MDJ: Donald A. Johnson, Magisterial District Court 43-2-01 Prosecution: Monroe County District Attorney’s Office Defense Counsel: Brian Scott Gaglione, Esq., Leeth & Gaglione, LLC, Stroudsburg

Charges Filed (March 5, 2026):

• 18 § 2718(a)(2) — Strangulation, F2 (×3) — Withdrawn
• 18 § 2701(a)(1) — Simple Assault, M2 (×3) — Withdrawn
• 18 § 2709(a)(1) — Harassment by Physical Contact, S (×3) — Two withdrawn, one guilty plea

Disposition: Guilty plea to one count of summary harassment, April 9, 2026. Fine and costs totaling $476.25, paid in full April 16, 2026.

Joseph Anthony Leach is presumed innocent of any charges not resulting in conviction. The withdrawal of charges does not constitute a finding of guilt or innocence on those counts.