A Bristol Township man who has been a prolific caller to 9-1-1 and township authorities has been charged after police said he threatened and harassed his neighbors.
Wesley Aaron Retzler, 68, of Bristol Township, was preliminarily arraigned last week before on-call District Judge Peranteau on charges of retaliation against a witness or victim, criminal use of a communication facility, terroristic threats, harassment, disorderly conduct, and 11 counts of stalking. He was sent to the Bucks County Correctional Facility last Friday on 10 percent of $30,000 bail, but his wife posted bail for him on Monday.
According to an affidavit of probable cause, Retzler’s neighbor on Western Avenue in Bristol Township has long had problems with him.
Retzler has filed complaints in court about township officials and police for years. He often speaks at Bristol Township Council meetings and brings up complaints, including upsetment that he felt township inspectors were targeting him.
In court papers, an investigator noted the neighbors had installed a 16-camera security system due to “numerous” complaints of Retzler standing at their fence line and staring at their kids, making offensive and threatening comments to the family, stepping onto their yard, filing false and “bogus” complaints to police and township officials, and taking pictures of the family and visitors’ vehicles.
In May, a Bristol Township patrolman responded to Western Avenue to investigate a trespass complaint filed by the neighbor. The office reportedly learned Retzler was pointing a camera at the home and possibly the bedroom of the kids.
Retzler was cited for trespassing and ordered to cease his conduct, police said.
According to a court docket, Retzler was found not guilty by District Judge Mark Douple of the criminal trespass citation in July.
In early June, Retzler contacted police and an officer spoke with him and his wife. Retzler stated he wanted to report various zoning and civil complaints against his neighbor, police said.
Retzler attempted to justify his harassment and stalking of the family as part of a challenge to their property line, police said.
Court papers stated the family paid for and obtained an official property survey that completely refuted Retzler’s accusations.
Retzler was advised about his actions toward the family, including being near the fence of their home and being out front pointing his phone at them while in short pants and bare chested, police said.
“I again cautioned him about tormenting neighbors, especially those with kids, and staring at the kids,” the investigator wrote.
Despite the warnings, police said Retzler continued his conduct at all hours of the day and night. The family had video clips to back up their claims.
In one instance, Retzler scared the kids after he kept popping up at the fence as he watched them in their family’s backyard, police said.
As of the start of August, Bristol Township police reported numerous calls about Retzler by his neighbors. There were also calls by Retzler to numerous police and township officials and the Pennsylvania State Police, authorities said.
“Some of the defendant’s calls to 9-1-1 and demands of police are late-night responses to the Marano family home. This would have resulted in knocking on the victim family’s door late at night, further upsetting them and disturbing them,” the investigator wrote in court papers.
Police said Retzler threaten to damage the family’s property, harassed them, and threatened to sue them.
In court papers, police said they have numerous pieces of video evidence of Retzler harassing the family. He is alleged to have engaged in a “relentless pattern of almost daily behavior tormenting” the family.
Since 1987, Retzler is listed in 722 documented police reports in Bristol Township, with that number estimated to be low because many calls weren’t documented, police said.
“In your affiant’s police career, no other person in our data reporting system is close to this massive amount of calls and demands of police efforts than this defendant. This sheer number is unprecedented,” Sgt. Michael Slaughter wrote in arrest papers.
Retzler, police said, has reported numerous other “bogus” claims against numerous former and current township residents.
A search warrant was obtained for Retzler’s phone and photos of various area homes and properties were located. In addition, there were 50 calls to Bristol Township officials over the course of a month and searches for law firms and zoning codes.
Retzler, a regular speaker at Bristol Township Council meetings, was at the podium during Thursday evening’s meeting telling officials police weren’t interested in his claims about his neighbors. He said his neighbor has threatened him in-person and on social media.
“This guy has threatened me on social media, but the police don’t want to hear nothing about it,” he said.
Retzler stated he takes photos to back up his claims of wrongdoing.
The 68-year-old man claimed a Bristol Township Fire Police officer has been interfering in issues.
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to reflect that District Judge Mark Douple found Retzler not guilty in the summer trespassing case. A previous version of this article stated District Judge Kevin Wagner oversaw the case. While the court records lists District Judge Wagner, we have learned Wagner recused himself and the case was taken over by District Judge Douple.
Editor’s Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The story was compiled using information from police and public court documents.
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