A Schuylkill County man is facing multiple stalking charges after police say he engaged in a prolonged harassment campaign involving his former housemate and neighboring residents.
Joseph Coccio, 57, of Tamaqua, is charged with three first-degree misdemeanor counts of stalking and one third-degree misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct.
Police say the incidents center around a property on E. Union St., where Coccio previously resided with a woman. In June 2024, a couple purchased the property next door.
In March 2025, the male neighbor told police Coccio was trespassing and storing personal property on his land. When the neighbor asked him to remove the items, Coccio continued to trespass and later threatened to kill the neighbor if he was taken to court, police say.
By July 2025, police say Coccio directed a large light into the neighbors’ bedrooms and posted signs on the property using derogatory names and labeling the neighbor a “child predator.” The neighbor reported Coccio threatened him again, stating he would kill him when he was outside the house, according to police.
In September 2025, police say Coccio headbutted the male neighbor during a physical encounter.
In December 2025, the woman living with Coccio obtained a Protection from Abuse (PFA) order, forcing him to vacate the residence, police say. However, the woman reported to police that he continued to harass her and the neighbors, violating court orders by repeatedly driving around the block at all hours of the day and night.
In February, the male neighbor’s father told police Coccio nearly struck him with a vehicle. The father also reported finding a sign posted on a utility pole calling the male neighbor a pedophile, police say.
Between February and April 2026, the female victim reported to police that Coccio frequently drove past the residences, tossing nails and screws behind vehicle tires. She also reported that Coccio yelled a derogatory expletive at one of her friends outside a bar regarding his personal belongings, police say.
In May 2026, the woman provided police with camera footage showing Coccio dropping flyers out of a vehicle window that again accused the male neighbor of being a pedophile.
The woman told police the harassment escalated into June, stating that Coccio drove by a family event she was attending. Later that weekend, the woman reported seeing Coccio looking through her first-floor window at 2:20 a.m. before sprinting to his parked van and speeding away, police say.
The following day, a relative of the neighbor reported finding signs posted around the borough labeling him a drug dealer, police say.
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