Wire tapping charges against a Coal Township man proceed to county court

Sep. 16—SHAMOKIN — Charges of felony wiretapping against a property manager from Coal Township will be moving to county court after a district judge said there was enough evidence to move forward.

Jesse A. Storm, 44, of West Mulberry Street, Coal Township, who works with Brokers Realty, was charged by Northumberland County Detective Degg Stark with three felony counts of violating the Wiretapping and Electronic Surveillance Control Act.

Stark contends Storm recorded private conversations with the Shamokin mayor and two city councilmen.

Stark said Storm recorded the private conversation of Mayor John Brown and Councilmen Scott Roughton and Charles Verano following a city council meeting on June 14 outside the city municipal building and the recorded conversation was posted by Storm on Storm's Facebook page.

Roughton told police that Storm, a local resident, attended the council meeting and lawfully recorded the meeting on his cellphone. After the meeting, Roughton walked outside with Brown and started a conversation with him. Storm approached and spoke with the two men, police said.

Brown, Roughton and Verano all testified Wednesday in front of Mount Carmel District Judge Bill Cole.

Storm represented himself and contended that the three public officials were discussing public information with him and that the recording was a continuation of him filming from inside the council meeting.

Storm said all three officials discussed only city business and that no personal conversations took place.

However, the three city officials told Cole that although they were talking city business, they were unaware of the recordings and never consented to Storm recording their conversation.

Cole said Northumberland County District Attorney Tony Matulewicz showed enough evidence to send the charges to county court.