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The 499 criminal charges the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office lodged Tuesday morning against former Harrisburg Mayor Stephen R. Reed are a varied lot.
Essentially, they accuse Reed of running a criminal enterprise for roughly two decades. A conviction on nearly any combination of the accusations could send the ailing ex-mayor to prison for the rest of his life.
The charges, as listed in the affidavit of probable cause filed against Reed are:
Corrupt organizations: Reed is accused of engaging in a “pattern of racketeering activity” from December 1990 through January 2010 for his control of the Harrisburg Authority. Two first-degree felony counts of this charge were filed.
Dealing in Proceeds of Unlawful Activity: These two first-degree felony charges are linked to the corrupt organizations count. Reed is accused of conducting financial transactions involving the authority that dealt with stolen or illegally obtained property from January 2000 to September 2007. Additionally, Reed is charged with consigning 20 firearms to a store in Gettysburg in May of this year, even though he knew the guns were bought by and illegally obtained from the authority and the city.
Theft by deception: The ex-mayor is accused of illegally obtaining $500,000 from the Harrisburg School District in September 2003 by using deception to manipulate closing on borrowing, He is charged as well with illegally diverting $500,000 from the Harrisburg Parking Authority from 2000 to 2010 to supply a special fund. Two first-degree felony counts were filed for this charge.
Theft by deception: Reed is charged with one third-degree felony count of withholding property worth $2,000 to $100,000 from the city from June to December 2008 involving reimbursements he filed for travel.
Theft by deception: In this second-degree felony charge, the ex-mayor is accused of withholding $100,000 to $500,000 worth of property from the city from 2004 to 2008 involving expenses for his National Sports Hall of Fame Foundation.
Bribery in official and political matters: Between 1999 and 2003, Reed gave former city Councilman Richard House the position of director of community relations for the Harrisburg Senators baseball team in exchange for a favorable vote, investigators claim. Reed is accused of bribing six city council members as well between 2003 and 2005. He faces seven third-degree felony counts of this charge.
Misapplication of entrusted property and property of government or financial institutions: There are 158 counts of this second-degree misdemeanor charging the mayor with diverting city property in January 2010.
Tampering with or fabricating physical evidence: Reed is charged in this single second-degree misdemeanor count with trying to dispose of a record of a sale involving a Gettysburg store.
Deceptive business practices: In this single second-degree misdemeanor count, the attorney general claims Reed made false or misleading statements involving closing costs for a 2003 debt offering by the Harrisburg School District to promote the sale of the offering.
Criminal solicitation: Three second-degree misdemeanor counts of this charge are filed. Reed is accused of ordering the falsification of leave records for Richard Pickles, a former city police officer and policer chief, in 2004, 2005 and 2007.
Theft by receiving stolen property: Investigators claim Reed illegally obtained 159 pieces of Old West historical memorabilia owned by the city from April to June of this year. He is charged with a 29 third-degree felony, 20 second-degree felony and 110 second-degree misdemeanor counts of this crime.
Theft of services: In 2004, 2005 and 2006, Reed diverted the city-paid services of Richard Pickles to his own use, the AG’s office claims in three counts of this third-degree felony.
Theft by unlawful taking or disposition: These 159 felony and misdemeanor charges involve the same accusations that Reed stole artifacts that belonged to the city
sounds like all the pukes in DC!
I’m certain they could have made it an even 500 if they had put just a tiny bit more effort into it.
How’s them bus wheels feel, Billy (goat).
This is typical of Pennsylvania politics. Kathleen Kane, Pennsylvania’s Attorney General is equally corrupt.