Luzerne County Government

January 26, 2010

Sheriff’s gun sale brings probe

County solicitor checking to see if department sold other guns and, if so, whether any have vanished.

By Jennifer Learn-Andes jandes@timesleader.com
Luzerne County Reporter
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Luzerne County Solicitor Vito DeLuca said he is investigating the possible sale of other sheriff’s office guns and researching whether any guns that could have been sold to make money have disappeared.

DeLuca said he is basing his investigation on information he has received.

Sheriff’s office gun sales are an issue because the county administration recently learned that former Sheriff Michael Savokinas had agreed to sell a Tommy machine gun, vintage 1928, to a Pittston gun dealership for $20,000.

Commissioner Chairwoman Maryanne Petrilla has said the department should have asked the commissioners to decide if and how the gun would be sold, and there was no independent appraisal or public bidding to ensure the county got the best price.

The sheriff’s office also sold three other guns to the same business – Advanced Arms in Pittston – for $2,500, records show.

“Today we found some information that seemed to indicate that a number of other sales took place. It appears as if there could be as many as 20 guns that were sold,” DeLuca said.

DeLuca said the sheriff’s office has not cooperated in his investigation.

Acting Sheriff Charles Guarnieri, who took charge of the office when Savokinas resigned Sept. 1, could not be reached for comment Monday afternoon.

Michelle Castner, a deputy sheriff in the office’s real estate division, said the office showed the FBI all guns stored in the office last year so an official inventory could be done.

Castner said she knows of no missing guns. The office ends up with guns because people sometimes donate them, she said. The office also confiscates guns as part of protection-from-abuse cases, and court orders are obtained to sign them over to the office if the weapons have gone unclaimed for years, she said.

The Tommy gun sale came to light when someone familiar with the gun contacted Controller Walter Griffith with concerns that the gun was sold for less than it was worth. Griffith verified that money from the sale was deposited and referred the person to DeLuca.

Guarnieri has said he used some of the money from the Tommy gun sale to purchase Taser equipment for the office.

Jennifer Learn-Andes, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 831-7333.

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