Pike County District Attorney Press Release

Two convicted of terrorism in attack on community in the Poconos

Posted 5/22/23

Pike County jury convicted Tonia Scott, 53, and Keeba Harris, 46, for their roles in orchestrating the November 2019 attack on the Pine Ridge Community in Lehman Township, Pike County. 

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Pike County District Attorney Press Release

Two convicted of terrorism in attack on community in the Poconos

Posted

MILFORD, PA — A Pike County jury convicted Tonia Scott, 53, and Keeba Harris, 46, for their roles in orchestrating the November 2019 attack on the Pine Ridge Community in Lehman Township, Pike County.  The jury deliberated for over three hours before announcing their verdict on Friday afternoon.  The jury convicted each of the women with 33 counts which included Terrorism, Kidnapping, multiple counts of Robbery, Burglary, and Robbery of two motor vehicles as well as counts of Terroristic Threats, Simple Assault, and Recklessly Endangering Another Person.  Additionally, Tonia Scott was convicted of her own separate count of criminal trespass, related to an earlier September 6, 2019 incident.

Over the weeklong trial, the jury saw various court documents related to Tonia Scott’s fraudulent claims of ownership over the Pine Ridge and Saw Creek Communities.  Jurors then learned that Tonia Scott and Keeba Harris convinced five men who were associated with a security company to meet in a McDonald’s in New York City to discuss the armed takeover. 

The jury then heard from one of those men, Sushane Adams-Heyliger, who dramatically detailed the elaborate plan that Scott and Harris concocted in order to engage the men to attack the Pine Ridge community for promises of housing, money, and employment. Jurors then watched a video of the attack where the men, hired by Scott and Harris, forcibly broke into the office of the Pine Ridge Community and assaulted then Pine Ridge Security guard John Derbyshire handcuffed him and brought him to his personal Dodge truck. The video showed the men stole a bullet resistance vest from Derbyshire along with, duty belt, and holster from Derbyshire.  The men also stole a .22 long rifle from the security office along with a security jacket, keys, radios and other public safety equipment.  Two of the men Scott and Harris had hired then forced Derbyshire into his truck and drove off with him handcuffed in the back of the vehicle.

Tonia Scott, Keeba Harris

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