Dental records used to identify body

They’re getting creepy and kooky in Duryea

First Posted: 10/1/2014 Luzerne County prison guard Pete Fischer was suspended without pay Wednesday due to criminal charges linking him to an anabolic steroid and prescription drug ring, county officials said.
The same suspension action was initiated against a second county prison guard charged in the ring &#8212; John Taffera &#8212; though the status of his compensation was under legal review because he is on workers&#8217; compensation, officials said.
Taffera, who posted bail of $50,000, had returned to work on Sept. 11 but went back on workers&#8217; compensation after a day or so citing his medical condition, records show.
The county administration has taken the position that workers&#8217; compensation payments should be withheld the same as traditional pay due to the charges.
Fischer, who is free on $1,000 bail, received $56,310, records show.
Taffera&#8217;s salary was the same, though the amount of compensation he received through workers&#8217; compensation was not immediately available. Workers&#8217; compensation recipients typically receive about two-thirds of their county salary. They lose county-funded health coverage after 90 days, though the county continues to pay for medical treatment tied to the work-related injury.
Fischer, 54, of Brown Street, Ashley, was charged with one count of possession of anabolic steroids and one count of illegal use of a communication facility.
Criminal affidavit
According to the probable cause affidavit, Bloomsburg resident Paul Dougal, one of the alleged ring leaders, told investigators Fischer was among several local residents who had purchased steroids from him. Dougal confirmed Fischer was a county correctional officer.
Fischer also serves as an elected constable in Ashley&#8217;s second ward through Dec. 31, 2015, county records show.
Fischer is not currently on an active roster of constables who serve warrants and other court paperwork for district judges, court officials say.
Some constables also provide security for public events, such as high school football games. Fischer&#8217;s fellow constables say he has worked some public events, though specifics weren&#8217;t available. Constables also can work at polling places on election day if they are bonded, but it&#8217;s unclear if Fischer was bonded.
Taffera, 39, of Highlark Drive, Larksville, was charged with one count each of delivery of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, possession of anabolic steroids, conspiracy to deliver anabolic steroids and illegal use of a communication facility. He also faces a two-count corrupt organizations charge.
According to the affidavit:
A confidential informant bought oxycodone, also known as Percocet, from Taffera on &#8220;numerous&#8221; occasions. Taffera used a cell phone to arrange and complete at least two of these transactions.
Though state police testing of these tablets is pending, the pills contained markings consistent with a generic brand of the drug currently marketed by local pharmaceutical retailers.
When interviewed by investigators, Taffera admitted to delivering quantities of Percocet to the confidential informant on multiple occasions in exchange for money. Taffera also acknowledged he obtained anabolic steroids from the confidential informant and Ashley resident Kyle Goyne, who also was charged in the ring, several times within the last year.
The county administration will follow and assess details about the charges as they are adjudicated to determine if further personnel action, such as dismissal, is warranted, said county Correctional Services Division Head J. Allen Nesbitt. Investigators have not provided any indication alleged crimes occurred on county property, he said.
Called &#8220;Operation Gym Candy,&#8221; the investigation resulted in charges against 13, including five current or former probation or corrections officers. Also arrested were Columbia County probation officer Marc Laubach, former Montour County Prison officer Richard Piccarreta and Lackawanna County prison guard Nick Baloga.
&#8220;It is particularly troubling that five of the people who participated in these rings have been entrusted by our citizens with overseeing parolees or guarding prisoners,&#8221; state Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane said in a written statement. &#8220;They worked every day with individuals who are paying the price for breaking the law. It is shameful that they decided to break the law themselves.&#8221;
A former Luzerne County court employee &#8212; Nanticoke resident Kristen Pietrzyk &#8212; also was charged with the group, though investigators said she was not associated with any of the drug rings.
Pietrzyk, 27, faces charges of two counts of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, two counts of delivery of a controlled substance and one count of illegal use of a communication facility. She is free on $25,000 bail.
Pietrzyk started working as a district judge secretary in April 2008 but resigned in June of this year, records show.

Luzerne County prison guards suspended for drug ring involvement