Ex-mayor of Harrisburg charged in probe of city debt crisis

Over time, Reed, who had a hand in all of these entities while mayor, allegedly used this public money at his discretion partly to obtain thousands of artifacts, which was a violation of Pennsylvania’s Criminal Code. The purchases included a life-size sarcophagus, antique firearms, a full suit of armor and a vampire hunting kit.

Tampering with or fabricating physical evidence: Reed is charged in this single second-degree misdemeanor count with trying to dispose of a record of a sale involving a Gettysburg store. He said he will fight the charges. Mr. Reed served as Harrisburg’s mayor for 28 years, leaving in early 2010.

Attorney General Kathleen Kane said she was “very confident” that the complex, ongoing investigation of the city’s crippling debt crisis would bring charges against others.

Speaking in 2014, he said his administration cooperated with investigators.

“I am concerned that misperceptions and politics are intertwined in these accusations”, Reed said in a prepared statement.

In 2004, $18 million worth of bonds were issued to finance renovations to the Harrisburg Senators’ minor league baseball stadium.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse said the city’s National Civil War Museum should be shut down, calling it “a monument to corruption” in the wake of criminal charges filed against the former mayor who was the moving force behind it. The city exited receivership previous year.

His dream was to transform it into a cultural “city of light”.

When a Civil War museum opened in 2000, the official said Mr. Reed was motivated to purchase more items for other planned museums. “His conduct is at the root of the fiscal issues that continue to plague the city of Harrisburg today”.

He was defeated in the 2008 primary.

Reed was appearing before District Judge William Wenner in suburban Harrisburg on Tuesday morning.

Reed left office as Harrisburg was staggering toward bankruptcy and became Pennsylvania’s first municipality to be taken over by the state.

With approximately 1,000 members, the PDAA provides “uniformity and efficiency in the discharge of duties and functions of Pennsylvania’s 67 district attorneys and their assistants”, according to the press release.