Former state Rep. Kevin Haggerty arrested on credit card fraud charges

Feb. 25—Former state Rep. Kevin M. Haggerty faces forgery and related charges after police say he fraudulently used credit cards belonging to his elderly mother's caregiver to buy hundreds of dollars worth of booze, food and other items.

In another instance, the ex-legislator walked out of a South Scranton supermarket with a $6.99 pack of ginger ale without paying for it, investigators said.

Haggerty, 48, of 1704 N. Webster Ave., Dunmore, a Democrat who represented the 112th District in the state House for two nonconsecutive terms between 2012 and 2018, was arrested Wednesday after an investigation by Dunmore police and the state attorney general's office.

He said nothing as he left the Lackawanna County Criminal Justice Center following his arraignment before Magisterial District Judge Alyce Farrell, who released him on $20,000 unsecured bail.

Haggerty is accused of using two credit cards belonging to Debra Checko to make 30 purchases totaling $958.69 without her authorization between Dec. 30 and Jan. 11.

In the arrest affidavit, Dunmore Detective Alicia Hallinan identified Checko as a caregiver for Haggerty's elderly mother, Diane.

The investigation began Jan. 12, when Checko contacted police after noticing almost $850 in unauthorized charges on a rarely used credit card. Additional purchases were later found on a second card.

Checko, who kept the cards in her cellphone case, also recalled finding the case opened on the counter in Diane Haggerty's borough home in late December and thinking that was unusual, police said. She suspected Kevin Haggerty, who occasionally visited the home while she was there, might be responsible.

As she investigated the unauthorized transactions — mostly for food, groceries, gas or alcoholic beverages from local retailers — Hallinan visited the locations and reviewed video surveillance that in many cases showed Haggerty making the purchases, the affidavit said.

In video from Gerrity's on Meadow Avenue, where Haggerty purchased about $159 worth of items on Dec. 31, he is seen leaving the $6.99 12-pack of ginger ale cans in his cart and placing bagged groceries on top of it, according to the affidavit.

"It's amazing how much this guy looks like Kevin Haggerty," a store loss prevention employee told Hallinan.

The former legislator declined to come to police headquarters for an interview on Jan. 14, saying he was afraid he might have COVID-19, but admitted in a follow up telephone conversation four days later that he had taken Checko's card, Hallinan said.

"Haggerty stated he has been having a very difficult time in his life as a result of a series of personal issues and admitted he may have a drinking problem," the detective wrote in the affidavit.

She said Checko also received a text message from Haggerty in which he said his drinking got "really bad" and he was undergoing rehabilitation in East Stroudsburg.

"You were my friend and I abused that friendship. You were so nice to everyone. ... I regret the things I did. I was scared and in a dark place. I'm truly sorry," the text said, according to the affidavit.

Police charged Haggerty with multiple counts of forgery, access device fraud, theft by deception and possession of a counterfeit or altered access device, along with a single count of retail theft.

At his arraignment, he told Farrell he had just finished rehab and is undergoing outpatient treatment. He is also attending daily Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, he said.

As part of his bail, the judge ordered him to have no contact with the victim and to continue his post-rehab aftercare.

"We want you to stay on this track," Farrell said.

Haggerty's arrest was announced by the attorney general's office, which received the case on a referral from the Lackawanna County district attorney.

"The Office of Attorney General will hold Mr. Haggerty accountable to the law," the office said in an email. "The same rules apply for all Pennsylvanians and we will apply them in this case in a fair and just manner."