PITTSBURGH Former police Chief Nate Harper will plead guilty to charges that he conspired to steal police funds deposited into unauthorized police credit union accounts and failed to file federal tax returns from 2008 to 2011, his attorneys said Friday.
Harper’s lawyers made the announcement at a news conference late Friday, after the recently fired chief was charged in a grand jury indictment. The indictment accuses Harper, 60, of working with others to send public money to secret accounts at the credit union and tapping the accounts for personal use, including purchases and meals. The indictment lists 14 checks meant for city accounts that went to credit union accounts labeled “Special Events” and “IPF.” The largest check topped $10,000.
Late Friday, Harper declined to appear at the news conference he had called at the last minute because he was “embarrassed and distraught,” according to his defense attorney Robert DelGreco, who said, “I think we’re prepared to plead to that indictment without modification.” Authorities said Harper used two of eight debit cards from the credit union to withdraw cash and buy perfume, food and alcohol, an oven upgrade, a ladder, movies, a gift card, and a 32-inch LCD TV.
The charges come a month after the FBI raided records at the police credit union and at the police department as part of the investigation. Chief Harper was fired the following week.
Harper ordered debit cards from the credit union account, issued in the names of eight people, including Mayor Luke Ravenstahl’s bodyguards, according to authorities. City officials said they were investigating spending from the cards, and the FBI made copies of account records at the credit union.
