The former Bethlehem police officer who served as a school resource officer at East Hills Middle School plans to withdraw his guilty plea in which he admitted to sexually assaulting a 14-year-old student and taking an “upskirt” video of another student, authorities said.
Costas Alestas, 44, of Palmer Township, was scheduled to be sentenced Monday, but his attorney said they intended to withdraw the guilty plea, a Northampton County District Attorney’s office spokesperson said. Alestas pleaded guilty in April to charges of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and invasion of privacy, and he faced up to 20 years in prison.
Alestas was charged in May 2024 after the Bethlehem Area School District informed the department about the alleged incidents with the girl. The girl, 14, met Alestas while she was a student there, and he gave her his phone number so they could talk outside of school, according to authorities.
Police said the two met in his office, where he touched her. During a school event, they met in a concealed area and he sexually assaulted her, authorities allege. Alestas was in full uniform during that alleged incident.
Authorities also said that he sexually assaulted her in his car on two occasions. Alestas had secret meetings with her outside of school, and would drop her off near her home so she would not be seen, police said.
Additionally, investigators found an “upskirt” video of an 11-year-old at the school while searching his phone, according to court documents, which state he strategically turned his phone to record her skirt.
Costas was fired shortly after the charges were announced last year. Bethlehem police said he was fired after an internal investigation. He was the school resource officer at the school for six years, and was also a coach for the school’s co-ed soccer team.
A message left for his attorney Tuesday was not immediately returned.
