HARRISBURG -Attorney General Tom Corbett today announced that Pennsylvania State Police have filed criminal charges against the former Chief of Gettysburg Police Department and his juvenile son, who are accused of leaking relevant police information to drug dealers in the Gettysburg area.
Corbett identified the defendants as former Gettysburg Chief of Police Rolf Garcia, 47, 1975 Carrolls Tract Road, Orrtanna, Adams County, and his juvenile son, 17, of the same address.
Evidence and testimony regarding the illegal activity was presented to a statewide investigating grand jury, which recommend the criminal charges being filed.
According to the grand jury, in January 2006 the Pennsylvania State Police began an investigation into the distribution of cocaine by several juveniles in the Adams County area. State Police and agents with the Adams County Drug Task Force made numerous controlled purchases of cocaine in and around Gettysburg, before obtaining a search warrant on Feb. 3, 2006.
Corbett said that the search warrant was for the residence of Craig Anthony “Tony” Hill, 242 Chambersburg St., Gettysburg.
The grand jury found that following a raid briefing on Feb. 3, 2006, a Pennsylvania state trooper made a courtesy call to Garcia, who was Chief of the Gettysburg Borough Police Department, to advise him of the raid at the Hill residence on Chambersburg Street.
Corbett said that officers approached Hill’s residence and allegedly saw two men fleeing from the home. Hill’s sister was present inside the residence and told officers that prior to the police’s arrival her brother had allegedly received a telephone call advising him that there was going to be a bust, but that he did not know where.
The grand jury found that Garcia’s son had allegedly received a telephone call from his father on the night of the raid and then allegedly relayed that information to the other individuals.
Corbett said Garcia’s Feb. 3, 2006 cell phone records show that after he received a call from the state trooper he immediately called a detective with the Gettysburg Police Department and then placed a call to his son.
According to the grand jury, Garcia’s son allegedly made telephone calls to four individuals on February 3 including Tony Hill, to allegedly tell them there was going to be a “bust” in the area of the Dollar General or the 7-11 convenience store in Gettysburg, as well as a raid at Hill’s house.
Garcia is charged with one count each of obstructing administration of law or other governmental function and hindering apprehension or prosecution. Both counts are second degree misdemeanors, punishable by up to two years in prison and a $5,000 fine. His son is charged with one count of hindering apprehension or prosecution, also a second degree misdemeanor.
The criminal charges were filed today before Gettysburg Magisterial District Judge Thomas Carr, who will issue a summons for the defendants to appear for preliminary hearings at a future date. The case will be prosecuted in Adams County by Heather Adams of the Attorney General’s Drug Strike Force.
Corbett thanked the Pennsylvania State Police and the Adams County Drug Task Force for their assistance and cooperation with this investigation.