DA’s office probing missing money from McKeesport police evidence room
Mayor Michael Cherepko confirmed the investigation, but city officials aren’t saying much more.
The Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office is searching for money missing from the McKeesport Police Department’s evidence room.
Police Chief Mark Steele conducted an internal investigation, which found “irregularities,” Mayor Michael Cherepko said in a statement. Officials believe the missing money amounts to several thousand dollars, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported Wednesday.
“The circumstances in question pertain to an ongoing investigation and potential personnel matters, which limits my legal ability to comment,” Cherepko said in a statement to the Mon Valley Independent.
“Chief Steele initiated an internal investigation, and upon the discovery of irregularities, we referred our initial findings to an external agency. A thorough investigation is currently being conducted by the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office.”
A month ago, former police Detective Joseph Osinski was charged with stealing $1 million from his police union, and McKeesport Area School District police chief and former city police Officer Brenda Sawyer was accused of stealing $121,000 from the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office and $52,650 from the McKeesport NAACP chapter. Those cases are pending court proceedings.
On Sept. 5 — when the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office announced the charges against Osinski — Steele told the Mon Valley Independent in a statement “there is no concern whatsoever for any missing funds within the McKeesport Police Department.”
Steele did not respond to requests for comment regarding the missing money.
City officials did not address the money missing from the evidence room during Wednesday’s council meeting. Immediately following the meeting, Cherepko, Steele and council entered an executive session regarding personnel.
Police evidence rooms are used to store seized property, stolen merchandise and items from crime scenes that can include drugs, weapons and cash, which are safeguarded for use in court.
In other business
In other matters, council voted to:
• Approve an agreement for a $59,220 Pennsylvania Department of Community Economic Development grant to purchase rescue tools for the McKeesport Fire Department.
• Amend the city code to provide provisions for “officers or agents that fail to adhere to federal procurement guidelines.” Solicitor Jason Elash said the motion was necessary after an audit from The Department of Housing and Urban Development found that the city did not have provisions in its personnel policy or administrative code that covered employees “in relation” to the Community Development Block Grant budget.
• Authorize a one-year contract extension with Meter Feeder, Inc., which will allow the option to pay for parking via a mobile app.