WESTMORELAND COUNTY, Pa. — The former Westmoreland County Sheriff took a plea deal Thursday, avoiding a trial next week.
Former sheriff Johnathan Held told the judge that he got caught up in politics and says he learned from that mistake.
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“In the world of politics as we know, it’s a dirty business. He’s suffering the consequences of that unfortunately,” said Ryan Tutera, Held’s attorney.
The former two-time embattled Westmoreland County sheriff struck a plea deal with the Attorney General’s office to avoid a second trial next week.
Held appeared in front of a judge this morning, nearly four years after his first trial ended in a mistrial, and seven years after the investigation began.
“This has bankrupted him in a lot of ways,” Tutera said. “It crushed his spirits and he wants to move on with this. Sitting through another trial, no one knows what could happen if it doesn’t go his way, then we’re through the appellate process again.”
Held pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor theft of services charge for having his deputies doing campaign work for him while on the clock.
“He’s not the first politician this has happened to, and certainly won’t be the last politician this happens to,” said Tutera. “Quite frankly, if we lift the curtain off of most politicians, you’d find this may go on in just about anybody’s office.”
Now living in Florida and working as a swimming pool repairman, Held paid more than $2600 in restitution. The judge told him he paid a price for this and believed that penalty has already been served. Held’s attorney agreed.
“He’s moved on with his life,” Tutera said. “He lives in Florida now and he just wanted to get this over with.”
Held was ordered to six months of probation. He will have to give up his guns during that time and pay a $100 fine.
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