Joshua Stanga, former chief of the Arnold Police Department, is now facing criminal charges, including theft, tampering with evidence, and obstruction. According to a statement from Attorney General Michelle Henry, these charges surfaced after a joint investigation by the Office of the Attorney General and the Pennsylvania State Police.
The allegations against Stanga began with an integrity test conducted in August, during which agents planted almost $300 in cash and placebo OxyContin pills in an abandoned vehicle. Stanga was observed pocketing the majority of cash and then reporting only a recovery of the placebo pills and $35, effectively concealing the total amount. He's charged with misdemeanor counts, including theft by unlawful taking and tampering with or fabricating physical evidence.
"This defendant is charged with offenses that betray the trust of the community which he was sworn to serve and the many officers who perform their duties every day with bravery and integrity," Henry commented on the case, as detailed by the press release. Attorney General Henry emphasized that the investigation was fact-driven and applied to everyone equally, "regardless of rank or position."
The case at hand, which Senior Deputy Attorney General Tomm Mutschler will prosecute, pits the integrity of one against the institutional trust of many. While the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty, the ramifications of these allegations have the potential to ripple beyond the accused, seeking to reaffirm the principle that justice knows no rank and no title is beyond its reach.
