Hearing delayed for veteran Westmoreland sheriff’s deputy accused of inappropriate contact with female inmates
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A hearing for a former Westmoreland County sheriff’s deputy accused of persuading female inmates to expose themselves or grope him in exchange for cigarettes ended as soon as it began Friday.
Michael Ferguson, attorney for the veteran deputy Daniel A. Gradischek, 32, of Unity, objected to the first witness called to testify for the prosecution at a preliminary hearing Friday because the former Westmoreland County Prison inmate is not one of the two victims mentioned in the criminal complaint.
“Your honor, the first time I heard of this woman and that she is an alleged victim was this morning after I arrived here. How can I adequately do my job defending my client when I don’t know what is alleged to have occurred, or even when or where it occurred?,” Ferguson asked Hempfield District Judge Mark Mansour.
Ferguson also said he and Gradischek arrived at Mansour’s office, “fully expecting to resolve this matter” without a hearing, and proceed to common pleas court.
“But there was no (plea agreement) offer even put on the table, which led us to this point,” Ferguson said.
Mansour granted Ferguson’s request to continue the hearing, saying he agrees with Ferguson’s objection. Although Assistant District Attorney Adam Barr objected to continuing the hearing, he said he and Trooper Christopher Cole would file additional complaints specifying the allegations.
Barr noted that the court records stated “there were multiple victims.” Gradischek, in an interview with Cole last year, indicated there were “four or five” victims, according to court records.
Gradischek was arrested in December after a year-long investigation. The charges against him including bribery, institutional sexual assault, criminal conspiracy, criminal solicitation, criminal solicitation to commit indecent assault and oppression.
Gradischek pleaded not guilty at the start of the proceeding before Mansour Friday.
The probe began in November 2018, when District Attorney John Peck’s office notified state police of allegations against Gradischek, according court documents. During an interview, Gradischek confessed to the “inappropriate behavior” during prisoner transports, Cole said in court documents.
“Gradischek stated that he would provide female inmates with cigarettes in exchange for females showing him their bare breasts,” Cole wrote.
During the investigation, Gradischek repeatedly denied having sexual intercourse with any of the women, Cole said.
Troopers interviewed multiple women, who said Gradischek would often ask during transports, “What would you do for a cigarette?”
Inmates told troopers that Gradischek sometimes suggested they perform oral sex and, other times, he asked to see their breasts or grope him, according to court papers.
None of the women said they had sex with Gradischek, but some said they touched him through his uniform or exposed themselves in return for tobacco products, investigators said.
Police allege the incidents occurred when Gradischek was alone with female inmates in holding cells or inside district court restrooms to uncuff them, in the sheriff’s van during prisoner transports to the Greensburg courthouse and, once, at Excela Health Westmoreland Hospital in Greensburg, where an inmate was receiving treatment.
Former sheriff Jon Held characterized the alleged behavior “as completely disgusting” and suspended Gradischek in 2018 at the outset of the investigation.
Gradischek remains free on $50,000 unsecured bond. Mansour will schedule another hearing after the new complaints are filed.