Former DA pleads guilty to corruption
HARRISBURG — A onetime top prosecutor has pleaded guilty in a wide-ranging corruption case that included charges that he protected female drug dealers from prosecution in exchange for sexual favors, the state Attorney General’s office announced Wednesday.
Former Bedford County District Attorney William J. Higgins Jr. pleaded guilty to more
than two dozen corruption charges, including multiple counts of obstructing the administration of justice and official oppression. Mr. Higgins, a graduate of Cardinal Dougherty High School in North Philadelphia, also had been accused of tipping off dealers about confidential police informants.
He resigned his position following his arrest last month, and with his guilty plea, will lose his law license and his pension, state Attorney General Josh Shapiro said Wednesday.
“Former District Attorney Higgins traded his power and law enforcement authority for sexual favors and he violated his oath to the people of Bedford County — compromising the security of his community,” Mr. Shapiro said. “As Attorney General, I will not allow any person in power to abuse their public office.”
According to the criminal complaint, Mr. Higgins offered favorable treatment, including lighter sentences and reduced bail, to women with whom he was having sex. In one instance, he refused to approve a search warrant for the house of a female drug dealer with whom he was involved.
Prosecutors also said Mr. Higgins revealed the identities of confidential informants to known drug dealers, endangering the lives of the informants and hindering pending investigations.
While under investigation, Mr. Higgins also asked three key witnesses in the case to refuse to cooperate with law enforcement and instructed them to lie if asked about their intimate relationships with him.
The case against Mr. Higgins was the result of a joint investigation between the Attorney General’s office and the Pennsylvania State Police. The case was prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Tomm Mutschler.