Many stories that we discuss raise concerns whether police officers and other public officials sometimes get advantages as criminal defendants. The case in Pennsylvania of former Scott Township police Chief James Romano has raised precisely those same concerns. Romano has agreed to a plea deal to admit that he had sex with an alleged victim and witness in a case that he was investigating. He reportedly told the witness not to admit to the sexual relationship and faces a charge of hindering prosecution. That is all pretty straightforward, but Romano has demanded that he not be actually sentenced for seven years to guarantee that he gets a pension. So far, it appears to be working.
In 2013, Romano was investigating sexual misconduct charges against a Lackawanna County high school teacher. He personally brought those charges. However, he then had a romantic relationship with the alleged victim during the investigation and told her that she was “his favorite victim.” When investigators called the woman, Romano sent her a text message saying “just remember nothing about me,” according to the criminal complaint. Later, the woman texted to him, ” . . . should I tell the truth?” to which Romano replied “It would kill me.”
Romano pleaded no contest to the charge and agreed to resign. However, he is 43 and will not get his pension until he is 50. Two judges have agreed to postpone sentencing on the misdemeanor count. He has insisted that he would want to withdraw his plea if his pension is in danger. He is not facing any jail time, only six months of unsupervised probation in Lackawanna County.
I have not seen such a delay for so long a period based solely on the concern over a pension. Most courts take the view that such collateral matters are left to the defendant to resolve and constitute the natural ramifications of a criminal conviction. Notably, it is not clear such a misdemeanor would even terminate such a pension, according to reports, even though it does constitute work-related violations.
“Romano pleaded no contest to the charge and agreed to resign. However, he is 43 and will not get his pension until he is 50.”
And he should receive a pension exactly WHY?
I meant to say there are rules in the courtroom, but not in the prosecutor’s office where the horsesh!t occurs.
Charlie, Sure there are. I worked for a righteous one in KC. I agree there are more righteous judges than prosecutors. So much of the skullduggery w/ prosecutors occurs outside the courtroom, where there are rules.
Paul, The first step in the Coroner’s Inquest was venued in Luzerne County for a judge to decide if the body could be exhumed. But, you correct that the rest of the inquest was in Dukes County on the Vineyard. Ironically we were on our family vacation when Teddy killed her, I was in high school @ that time. The inquest exhumation was in Luzerne County and I was there in college @ the time. When the death occurred NOBODY was surprised that a drunken Teddy was w/ a campaign worker late @ night in a car. People in New England know the Kennedys quite well.
Nick – Lots of good judges, but are there any good prosecutors?
Paul, She was buried in Luzerne County, where she grew up in a blue collar family. The first step was to dig her up. That courthouse was, for that era of TV, akin to the OJ trial. Of course, there were only 3 networks @ the time, but they all had trucks there.
I would like to amend my previous remark to reflect Mary Jo Kopechne’s inquest was @ the neighboring Luzerne County Courthouse, also in the district of disgraced Congressman. Dan Flood. Dan looked like Snidley Whiplash w/ a waxed, handlebar mustache. He took bribes for decades but Congress finally got fed up when he took bribes from the local Mafia boss. Can’t have them Eyetalians getting bogus govt. contracts, that’s for big corporations.
Why wouldn’t the inquest be held in the county in which the death occurred?
I like pension funds where both sides vest in the fund. That way issues like this do not come up.
Yep, another example of what I have been saying for years about how public officials receive greatly more deferrance than regular citizens.
Having sex with a sexual harassment victim? That’s pretty low. The AGs office should have bucked up and gave him nothing to bargain.
A plea deal with contingencies, sweet! Put his pension in the social security fund, he can draw it when he’s 62 like the rest of us. He is a simple criminal, treat him as one.
Say what?
Repent, my son. Go for the pension. Get another government job, become a double dipping pension padder.
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Pennsylvania has a provision requiring forfeiture of the pension if convicted of certain crimes related to the individual’s public employment. The member is only entitled to return of his own contributions to the plan. He does not receive the benefit of a future pension or of the contributions made to the plan on his behalf by his employer.
Crazy.
As he is not employed by the department, I would assume it would only effect the vesting ( increasing percentage with years served) and not the pension in whole. He could get another City job and continue the vesting.
I think there are a few more pensions that should be on the chopping block in this case!
All politics is local, and unfortunately justice is too often political. Lackawana County is like Cook County, IL., or actually more like Harlan County, Ky. for all you Justified fans. It had an infamous US Congressman, Dan Flood who brought more pork to Lackawana than Oscar Mayer. The courthouse is famous as the venue for the Mary Jo Kopechne inquest. It is an old coal mining county w/ a lot of black lung and poverty. People expect there will be corruption, like in Cook County, and they are seldom disappointed.
police and judges…….scum and scum.
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