Former North Braddock And Blawnox Officer Pleads Guilty To Stealing Money Seized As Evidence

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

BLAWNOX, Pa. (KDKA) - A former North Braddock and Blawnox officer pleaded guilty to stealing money seized as evidence.

Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced Wednesday that Joseph Lynn from McKeesport pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including theft and tampering with/fabricating physical evidence for stealing money during an investigation in Blawnox.

"Joseph Lynn's actions betray the hard work and integrity of the men and women in the North Braddock and Blawnox police departments," said Shapiro in a press release. "Enforcing the law does not put you above it. We will continue to prosecute anyone committing these thefts, without fear or favor."

Police say Lynn was the only officer on duty, an investigator got a car equipped with video surveillance and entered the license plate as stolen. More than $225 of marked money that had been photographed and inventoried was placed inside the car.

After that, the investigator drove the car to a pre-determined location with extra surveillance and called 911 to report the abandoned vehicle.

That's when Lynn responded, allegedly pocketed the money and wrote up an incident report leaving out any mention of the cash.

Police say Lynn allegedly admitted to taking the money and that he'd done something similar as an officer at North Braddock.

The Attorney General's Office says Lynn will serve a term of probation set by the Allegheny County Court, and he'll be prohibited from being employed as a police officer.