A 29-year-old Bethlehem woman charged with conspiracy to commit child rape and multiple child sexual abuse material offenses has fled Pennsylvania for the New York and New Jersey area, according to the Northampton County District Attorney. Tishel Grace Arden remains at large as authorities ask the public for help locating her.
Northampton County District Attorney Stephen G. Baratta announced that authorities are still searching for Arden and are seeking the public's assistance, as reported by LehighValleyLive.com. Per the DA, Arden fled from Pennsylvania to the New Jersey and New York area around July 14, 2026. Court records show the charges against her were filed on May 28, 2026, and Bethlehem police filed an arrest warrant the following July at the office of District Judge Jordan A. Knisley, whose court, Magisterial District Court 03-2-10, serves as the initial filing venue for arrest warrants originating in South Bethlehem, according to the Lehigh Valley Press.
Arden faces charges of conspiracy to commit rape, filming a minor engaging in a prohibited sexual act, disseminating photographs or films depicting child sexual acts, and possession of other child sexual abuse material, the outlet's report states. The Bethlehem Police Department also detailed the warrant on social media, noting she was believed to reside in South Bethlehem before she went missing, according to a post from the department.
Ties to North Carolina, Brooklyn and Philadelphia
Investigators say Arden has known ties to North Carolina, Brooklyn, and Philadelphia, and holds both an expired North Carolina driver's license and a Pennsylvania photo identification. That web of connections across state lines complicates the search, as the same account notes authorities are working to track her movements through multiple jurisdictions.
The investigation stems from tips submitted to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, whose CyberTipline received 19.5 million reports of suspected child sexual abuse material nationwide in 2025, according to MissingKids.org. That national reporting pipeline routes tips to local departments like Bethlehem's, which then pursue criminal charges through the county court system.
What Pennsylvania Law Says About the Charges
Under Pennsylvania statute 18 Pa.C.S. § 6312, manufacturing or filming child sexual abuse material is graded as a second-degree felony carrying up to 10 years in prison per count, while dissemination is generally graded as a third-degree felony, per the Emkey Law Firm. Separately, rape of a child under 18 Pa.C.S. § 3121 is classified as a first-degree felony with a statutory maximum of up to 40 years in prison, and criminal conspiracy carries equal maximum exposure, according to Shuttleworth Law P.C.
If convicted, Arden would also face long-term consequences under Megan's Law. Pennsylvania mandates Tier II sex offender registration for 25 years for photographing or filming child sexual abuse under § 6312(b), while a primary child rape conviction triggers mandatory Tier III lifetime registration, according to the McShane Firm.
Authorities Warn Public Not to Approach
Authorities have cautioned the public against approaching or attempting to apprehend Arden themselves. Anyone with information is asked to remain anonymous if they choose, and tipsters can reach the Bethlehem Police Department's Criminal Investigations Division at 610-865-7000 or by email at [email protected].
Northampton County District Attorney Stephen G. Baratta took office in January 2024 after 25 years as a Common Pleas Court judge, where he previously served as administrative judge of juvenile court and solicitor for human services, according to the Northampton County District Attorney's Office. His office has continued an active docket of child protection prosecutions this year, including felony charges against a former fire captain filed in August.
Bethlehem has seen this kind of manhunt before. In April, state and local law enforcement apprehended another wanted local fugitive, 41-year-old Noel Tirado, on felony CSAM and weapons charges after finding him hiding inside a local residence, as Hoodline previously reported. Whether Arden acted with any co-defendants in the conspiracy charge, and whether federal authorities or extradition proceedings have been initiated in New York or New Jersey, remains unclear.
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