[PA] Accused: Officer Longworth used cop position to stalk (and terrify like a prelude to something deadly)

A former borough police officer was charged Wednesday with harassing his ex-girlfriend - a counselor with the Victim's Resource Center - and her boyfriend, a former Luzerne County assistant district attorney... she was e-mailed a picture of a gun allegedly held by Longworth and a message...

Ex-officer charged with harassment
Former Freeland borough cop charged with stalking an ex-girlfriend and her boyfriend, a former Luzerne County prosecutor
Wilkes Barre Times-Leader, PA
By Edward Lewis elewis@timesleader.com
October 10
FREELAND - A former borough police officer was charged Wednesday with harassing his ex-girlfriend - a counselor with the Victim's Resource Center - and her boyfriend, a former Luzerne County assistant district attorney. William E. Longworth, 26, of Coaldale, was charged with four counts each of unlawful use of computer, stalking, criminal use of a communication facility and two counts of harassment. He was arraigned by Freeland District Judge Gerald Feissner and released without bail. Longworth was employed as a Freeland police officer from 2005 to Aug. 6, 2007, state police at Hazleton said. Police said Longworth harassed and stalked his ex-girlfriend, Nina Deitos, from July to September 2007 and used his position as a police officer to get the address and vehicle ownership information of William Dunn, a county assistant district attorney. According to the criminal complaint: Police said Deitos claimed she ended her relationship with Longworth in April 2007. Shortly after, she began dating Dunn. Deitos told police Longworth called the Victim's Resources Center several times to see if she was working and showed up at Central Court, where she counsels victims, just to see her, the criminal complaint says. When Deitos began dating Dunn, the complaint says, Longworth repeatedly called her cell phone leaving messages that he was outside Dunn's residence. Deitos got concerned and called Longworth, who told her he learned where Dunn lives by "running his license plate" with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, the complaint says. Police obtained recordings from Luzerne County 911 indicating Longworth requested Dunn's vehicle plate four times from July 28 to Aug. 6, 2007. A 911 dispatcher told police, the complaint says, that Longworth requested directions from Freeland to Swoyersville and Dallas on Aug. 6, 2007, and told the dispatcher he, "was doing some off-the-book work." Deitos claimed she was e-mailed a picture of a gun allegedly held by Longworth and a message stating, "his death would be on her hands," on Aug. 5, 2007, the complaint says. Deitos said she began hiding her vehicle in a garage. Her desk at the Victim's Resource Center was moved from the front door to the rear, and a picture of Longworth was placed at the reception desk so the people there would recognize him. After receiving the e-mailed picture and the message on Aug 5, Deitos contacted Freeland police Sgt. Robert Maholik. Later that day, Longworth contacted Maholik several times from a bar in Freeland. Longworth claimed he "was being taunted by another patron" and "if he keeps it up, I'm going to kick his ass," the criminal complaint says. Maholik told police, the criminal complaint says, he believed Longworth was intoxicated and the patron Longworth was having a problem with at the bar was Dunn. Longworth told Maholik on Aug. 6, 2007, that he drove to find Dunn's residence but turned around in Wilkes-Barre, the criminal complaint says. Longworth couldn't be reached for comment on Thursday. A preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled for Oct. 16 in Central Court. Deitos claimed she was e-mailed a picture of a gun allegedly held by Longworth and a message stating, "his death would be on her hands," on Aug. 5, 2007, the complaint says.