Former police officer who tracked estranged wife’s car pleads guilty to stalking

GREENSBURG, Pa. — A former Frazer Township police officer pleaded guilty in Westmoreland County court on Wednesday.

A judge sentenced Michael McSherry to a maximum of 23 months in prison, plus probation, for stalking his estranged wife and using police technology to do it.

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“No one should have to go through what me and my babies went through,” said Alexandria Griffith, McSherry’s estranged wife.

In court, Griffith read a victim impact statement. She told the judge McSherry stalked and tracked her and her family for nearly a decade.

“Over 250 times tracking my license plate,” said Griffith.

McSherry worked with the New Kensington Police Department for three years, and most recently for the Frazer Township Police Department. During the month he worked there, he used the department’s license plate reader to track Griffith’s car and her mother’s. Griffith also said he put a GPS on her car, used a nanny cam to record her, and threatened her in person and through social media.

Griffith added, “He’s dangerous.”

Back in September, officers were called to Paulownia Drive in Allegheny Township. Griffith said McSherry smashed up her house, threw their 4-year-old son on the ground and then locked himself in a bathroom with a gun threatening to commit suicide. After a brief standoff, McSherry came out of the house and police arrested him.

“A lot of people knew what was happening, and they did nothing,” said Griffith. “They sat by and did nothing and it’s not OK. They put my babies’ lives in jeopardy and my life. This could have ended very badly and I’m so lucky that it didn’t.”

A judge accepted McSherry’s plea agreement and sentenced McSherry to 11.5 to 23 months in prison, plus five years’ probation. McSherry pleaded guilty to stalking and official oppression. He has a history of mental health issues and must continue to undergo treatment.

After court, his attorney said he did not have a comment at this time.

Griffith said she’s now seeking legal counsel to look into how he got hired by the Frazer Township Police Department despite so many red flags.

“I’m glad that he’s getting punished for what he did, but it’s certainly not long enough for what he did,” said Griffith. “Just because he’s an officer of the law and he doesn’t have any prior criminal history. That’s because I never went after him because I was too scared, and now I’m not.”

Part of the plea agreement was McSherry is to have no contact with Griffith, their children or her family. The judge said if McSherry even texts Griffith, she will put him in jail for as long as she can.

Former officer of Frazer Township arrested for stalking his wife by tracking her car 85 times

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