Stories about the Amish as victims – or perpetrators – of crime.
A Lancaster County Amish dog breeder who killed four unsold Sheepadoodle puppies in 2023 has been sentenced to seven years of probation, and no jail time. John S. Stoltzfus Jr., 48, of New Holland, pleaded guilty on September 24 to four felony counts of aggravated cruelty to animals and four misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals, CBS 21 reports. As noted in our first post…
Pennsylvania State Police are searching for a man they say stole more than $82,000 worth of power tools from construction sites across Lancaster County — and many of the victims were Amish. Here’s more from CBS21: LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. (WHP) — Police are looking for a man who reportedly stole over $80K in tools from various construction sites between February and July in Lancaster County….
Amish retreat leader Sam Shetler has again been denied bond — with the judge citing the potential danger to witnesses and alleged victims. The ruling means that despite his legal team’s efforts, the 43-year-old Amishman will remain behind bars for now. This is the latest development in a case we’ve been following since Shetler’s arrest in late March. If you’re new to the story, Shetler…
An Iowa health facility run by a former Amish man has been shut down by court order. A judge has ruled that those operating it are “a danger to the public.” We’ve looked at this case already on two occasions – once when the story of charges against clinic operator Eddie R. Gingerich broke back in May, and later when further details emerged on his…
Daryl Heller, the Lancaster County businessman whose ATM investment network drew money from Amish and Mennonites across the Lancaster County area, among others, pleaded guilty to securities fraud on Monday, August 10. However, no one has yet established how much his investors actually lost – with his attorney even claiming to the court that the figure could be zero. Charged In September 2025 This is…
Amish retreat leader Sam Shetler will not be tried in Cooper County, Missouri — the county where he ran the Mercy and Truth Retreat, and where he was arrested in March. Prosecutors have agreed to move the case. This is the latest in a case we’ve been following since Shetler’s arrest in late March. If you’re new to the story, he made his first court…
A very sad and awful story is now coming to an end of sorts, as Samuel Hochstetler has pleaded guilty to aggravated murder in the death of 28-year-old Amish woman Rosanna Kinsinger. Kinsinger was found dead in her Meigs County, Ohio home back in March 2025. Hochstetler, 18 at the time, was arrested and charged nearly two months later in the crimes. After a series…
This is a strange and tragic case out of Missouri. This story does not directly involve the Amish, but nonetheless they play a particularly odd role in it. A father who told police his missing 2-year-old son had been dropped off at an Amish community in Mississippi has been arrested. This week, in a wooded area outside Belleville, Illinois, investigators found the remains of a…
Nearly a year after the deadly van wreck in Tuscola County, Michigan, that killed six people – five of them Amish – authorities have made an arrest. Why the delay? They had to figure out who was actually driving the pickup truck that (reportedly) ran a stop sign and crashed into the van. More from ABC 12’s report: Twenty-six-year-old John Stacey is facing 20 felony…
Four Amish youth have landed themselves in hot water, after allegedly breaking into a home in Holmes County, Ohio. Deputies arrived to see them fleeing – and they were apparently still inside the home when law enforcement arrived. Those involved face charges including felony burglary, underage alcohol offenses, and for one, even an assault charge. This happened in Salt Creek Township on June 21st. And it wasn’t an…