BRAD RHEN| Lebanon
UPDATED 2:24 P.M., JAN. 31, 2013
Lebanon Levi, a.k.a. Levi Stoltzfus, was spotted again recently in Lebanon County.
Lebanon residents Nate and Stacey Winterstein spotted the "Amish Mafia" kingpin at Kumm Esse Diner in Myerstown on Jan. 20.
"It was funny," Nate Winterstein recalled. "The wife and I were sitting there. He walked in, and I tapped her on the shoulder and said 'Look, it's Lebanon Levi,' and she had no clue who it was."
Winterstein reports Levi was not with Esther, his one-time flame on the Discovery Channel show, but with a "non-Mennonite" girl.
To his surprise, Winterstein said no one other than he and a waitress recognized him.
"I was kind of surprised by it because of all the people that watch it around here," he said. "Not one person said a word to him."
EARLIER
He's the main character on one of the most popular shows on television, and his nickname is "Lebanon."
But who exactly is Lebanon Levi, the alleged capo di tutti cappi on the controversial Discovery Channel program "Amish Mafia?"
On the show, Lebanon Levi is the leader of a group that allegedly keeps peace in the Amish community, without calling in police or outside authority. According to his biography on the show's website, he "is the protector, the judge, and the jury in the Amish community. He calls the shots for his crew of Amish and Mennonite soldiers."
SEE ALSO: A look at the real people behind the characters of 'Amish Mafia'
In actuality, his name is Levi Stoltzfus, and he lives in the Richland area in eastern Lebanon County. He is a member of Richland's Neptune Fire Co., according to the company's website.
Efforts to reach Stoltzfus for this story were unsuccessful. A representative from the Discovery Channel said he is not doing interviews at this time.
But Stoltzfus made a telling appearance at Richland Borough Council meeting last year, and it was documented by the Lebanon Daily News. At the time, however, it was barely given a second thought.
According to an August 2012 Daily News article, Borough Council "gave approval for Neptune Fire Co. member Levi Stoltzfus to set a mobile home on fire at the Richland carnival grounds under the condition that prior proof of liability insurance is provided to the borough office.
"Stoltzfus said a crew will film him combating a fire in the trailer for the purpose of a creating a segment for a Discovery Channel program," the article continues.
In a recent episode of "Amish Mafia," Lebanon Levi's trailer went up in flames, a blaze supposedly set by his rival on the show, Merlin.
Richland Mayor Ronald Steiner recalled that the trailer got cleaned up right away after the flames were extinguished.
"It got straightened out real quick," Steiner said Friday.
Steiner, who lives a few doors away from Stoltzfus, said Stoltzfus is well known in town, but he would not consider him a celebrity.
"He's OK," Steiner said of Stoltzfus. "He was a little wild there for a while. I think he's calmed down."
As for the show, Steiner said he watches it, but he believes it is set up. Regardless of its authenticity, the show has become a popular topic of conversation in town, Steiner said.
"There's a lot of people who talk about it," he said. "They don't condemn it, and they don't really condone it. It's like a lot of other TV shows. They're there, but they don't amount to a hill of beans."
A man about town
Now that he is a quasi-celebrity, Lebanon Levi sightings are being reported at numerous places around Lebanon County.
He was most recently spotted on Sunday afternoon at the Cedar Grill on Route 422 just east of Lebanon. Judy Huey, a cashier and hostess at the restaurant, said he was "very nice" and did not try to shake the restaurant down.
"Somebody said, 'That's Levi from the "Amish Mafia,"' and I said, 'No it's not,'" Huey recalled. "Then somebody took a picture of him."
Other than a couple people asking Stoltzfus to pose for photos, nobody made a big fuss about his visit, said Huey, who also had a picture taken with Stoltzfus.
Huey, who is originally from Lancaster County, said she is familiar with the show. She would not comment on its authenticity, though.
"It's OK," she said. "I wouldn't stay home just to watch it."
Stoltzfus used to get his hair cut at Holiday Hair at the Promenade at Lebanon East shopping center, just down the street from Cedar Grill. But he has not been there since August, said Kristina Livering, the shop's floor manager.
Stoltzfus and the show have become a popular topic of conversation at the shop since the show started airing in December, Livering said.
"I do see it coming out with the customers now," she said. "They talk about him a lot."
Livering said Stoltzfus once dated one of her friends and said he is easy to get along with.
"He's a really nice guy," she said. "You could start up a conversation with him about anything."
Stoltzfus was also reportedly spotted at AT&T at the Lebanon Valley Mall recently. A manager there said she could not confirm his visit or discuss it due to corporate policy.
Or is it really because of the heavy hand of Lebanon Levi?
While Lebanon Levi may run the rackets in Lancaster County, allegedly, he so far has not expanded his territory to Lebanon, said city police Chief Dan Wright. Or so Wright thinks.
"We've gotten no intel of any Amish organized-crime activity in the City of Lebanon," Wright said.
Follow Brad Rhen on Twitter:
bradrhen@ldnews.com; 272-5611, ext. 145
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