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Beaver County Sheriff Arrested For Two Alleged Threats

BEAVER, Pa. (KDKA) – State police have arrested Beaver County Sheriff George David on 11 misdemeanor charges, after they say he went on two angry tirades.

Criminal complaints detail two alleged incidents involving Sheriff David.

In one he is accused of pulling a gun on a reporter, and threatening to kill him. In another, he's accused of telling a campaign volunteer that he would cut off his hands, and eat them.

Read the entire criminal complaint here: (Warning, contains explicit language)

In total, Sheriff David is facing 11 charges that include terroristic threats, simple assault, official oppression, intimidation of witnesses, and recklessly endangering another person.

November 5, 2011 Alleged Incident

The first of the two alleged incidents involving Sheriff David occurred on Nov. 5, 2011.

A re-election campaign volunteer reported to the Democratic campaign headquarters to pick up campaign materials.

Sheriff David was one of those up for re-election and the volunteer approached him to greet him.

As he extended his hand to offer a handshake, David allegedly looked at the volunteer and said, "You mother [expletive], I heard you talk about me, shake my hand, I'll cut your [expletive] hands off and eat them. I'll cut your hands off."

A witness said they heard Sheriff David allegedly yell, "You have the nerve to try to shake my hand." He then allegedly followed that up with "I'll cut it off and eat it before I shake your hand, I'll shove it down your throat."

  • Listen to David's attorney on NewsRadio 1020 KDKA:

Myron Sainovich

Bystanders stepped in to try and calm David down, while the volunteer remained visibly shaken.

The volunteer wanted to report the incident, but didn't for fear of losing their job.

During testimony before the Grand Jury, the volunteer said, "[David's] a very powerful man. He walks with a very powerful circle of people and so he's capable of I think not only trying to take my job away from me but hurting me or my family as well."

April 16, 2012 Alleged Incident

The second incident occurred on April 16, 2012.

According to a criminal complaint, Sheriff David threatened and assaulted the owner and lead journalist of the Beaver Countian.

David allegedly met with John Paul, of the website, to discuss purchasing contracts for uniforms and equipment.

Sheriff David demanded that Paul not pursue the story regarding the uniform controversy, and that he just got a reporter from the Beaver County Times "off his [expletive]."

Witnesses, and Paul say the Sheriff became irate, and at one point removed a black jack from his top drawer and shouted that he would "beat that [Times Reporter] worse than I used to beat the [racial slur] in Alquippa."

Documents say the meeting got even worse, with the Sheriff saying, "If I knew I was going to die today, I would blow their [expletive] brains out."

Then Paul says the Sheriff removed his service revolver from its holster and said, "you start writing [expletive] [explitive] like this I'll blow your [expletive] brains out too."

Eyewitnesses to the incident also recall the Sheriff taking his gun out of his holster and being shocked. Deputies who witnessed the incident also said that the Sheriff had "really lost it."

After the meeting John Paul, called the Beaver County Detectives, and met them to report the incident.

The Beaver Borough Police Chief said that Paul was visibly shaken, crying, and unable to form complete sentences.

Following the incident, the Sheriff reportedly told on the deputies who had witnessed the tirade, "you don't need to repeat that again."

The Sheriff was arraigned and allowed to return to his position with the department. He must stay away from those who testified against him, some the deputies in his department. He was also ordered not to carry a gun.

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