U.S. News
Pennsylvania Commissioner Arrested Over Alleged Drug Deals
Clear Facts
- Lehigh County Commissioner Zachary Cole Borghi faces 104 felony counts related to the distribution of cocaine and psilocybin mushrooms.
- Prosecutors allege he orchestrated drug deals from government buildings and during official public board meetings.
- The Democratic official was previously arrested in a 2025 drug probe but still won re-election despite pending criminal charges.
Pennsylvania authorities arrested Lehigh County Commissioner Zachary Cole Borghi on Wednesday following an investigation into extensive narcotics distribution. Prosecutors charged the Democrat with over 100 felonies, claiming he used his government position and taxpayer-funded time to facilitate illegal drug sales.
District Attorney Gavin Holihan stated that investigators synced board meeting video footage with cellphone timestamps to confirm transactions occurred during official business. Evidence includes over 1,000 text messages where the commissioner allegedly negotiated prices and coordinated handoffs using digital payment apps.
“I don’t think Mr. Cole Borghi is a particular target because of his position in politics,” Holihan said.
“He’s being arrested because the evidence shows that he appears to have been dealing in drugs for a long period of time using his cellphone to do so and left a digital trail of those charges.”
The allegations state Cole Borghi even sold cocaine while attending a symposium focused on peace and justice at a local community college. Despite his mounting legal troubles, including a separate 2025 arrest in a multi-state trafficking probe, he defeated his Republican opponent last November.
While colleagues have called for his resignation, the board reportedly lacks the authority to remove a commissioner based solely on criminal charges. Cole Borghi is currently being held in the Lehigh County Jail on $500,000 bail as the investigation continues.
Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.
