Sammy Sasso, the former Nazareth Area High School and Ohio State wrestler, was accepted Monday into a program for first-time offenders that will have his criminal record expunged.
The 25-year-old Nazareth resident entered Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition in Northampton County Court. He was arrested in July on charges alleging he had four handguns without a license and THC vape cartridges in his vehicle when he was pulled over in the borough.
His attorney, Gary Asteak, said once Sasso pays the necessary fines and costs, his charges — which included carrying a firearm without a license — will be dismissed and his record will be expunged.
Asteak said everything that was found in Sasso’s vehicle was legal, and purchased in Ohio. Sasso was moving back to the area and his car was filled with his possessions. Asteak said Sasso, who was shot two years ago during a carjacking in Ohio, bought the guns for personal protection.
“He literally had to learn how to walk again as a result of the shooting,” Asteak said.
Sasso was eligible to possess the guns and would have been able to get a license to carry them in Pennsylvania but had not gone through the process of doing that, his attorney said.
“It was the correct result of a very unfortunate incident, that set him back several months,” he said. “He’s now ready to proceed with his career.”
District Attorney Stephen Baratta said Sasso has no prior record, and the weapons were not used in a crime. ARD is a typical resolution for defendants in similar situations, he said.
Sasso was a two-time PIAA champion at Nazareth Area High School. He also went on to wrestle for Ohio State, where he was a four-time NCAA All-American.
He had joined the Lehigh University Wrestling team as an assistant coach in July. A university spokesperson said later that month that he was no longer employed there.
