DUBOIS – The Attorney General’s office has filed additional charges against John “Herm” Suplizio, former DuBois City Manager.
On Wednesday felony counts of theft by unlawful taking, three counts of theft by deception, theft by failure to make required disposition of funds, dealing in proceeds of unlawful acts, knowledge that property is proceeds of illegal act, four counts of proceeds of unlawful acts, and two counts of restricted activities-conflict of interest, as well as misdemeanor obstruction administration of law, misapplication of entrusted property and eight counts of fraudulent tax returns charges were filed.
In March, Suplizio was accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from public accounts over a period of time and filing fraudulent tax returns.
The charges stem from a search warrant executed on Suplizio’s residence and offices in April of 2022, during which records of his banking activities and other accounts were seized.
A grand jury proceeding covered Suplizio’s finances starting in 2014.
Suplizio, 63, in addition to being city manager since 2010, was also the executive director of the DuBois Area United Way, was affiliated with the DuBois Volunteer Fire Department and handled funds for DuBois Community Days.
Investigators allege he used his position in these organizations to gain access to funds, which he then took for his own personal use.
“Instead of acting in the best interests of the community he was supposed to serve, the defendant used his position to line his own pockets and abused his authority for personal gain,” Attorney General Michelle Henry said in a press release.
“This arrest is a reminder that no one is above the law, and that everyone who holds public office in Pennsylvania is accountable to the people.”
The original amount believed to be taken was over $620,000 but the new court paperwork has amended the total to be $550,832.96.
The change is due to additional scrutiny of Suplizio’s credit card bills and tax returns, which show some of the expenses previously listed as personal because he used these as deductions on his taxes were found to actually be public charges.
The new affidavit lists the total amount of theft from public accounts being $369,472.40 and tax fraud associated with public accounts totaling $181,360.56, bringing the total fraudulent transactions with public accounts to be $550,832.96.
The newly-filed paperwork sheds some light on the reports that DuBois City Solicitor Toni Cherry turned over $93,920 in cash to the city in May.
The money came from the Community Fund and had been at the DuBois Area Unity Way Building, she said. Suplizio gave it to her “to keep the PA OAG from confiscating it.” She told authorities she could not recall when he gave her the cash.
The money was placed into a new DuBois City account.
Investigators discovered that DAUW employees found a large amount of cash in a zippered bag in the safe at their building in September of 2022. It disappeared in December of 2022.
In March of 2023, another employee found three metal lock boxes fastened to the walls above the ceiling of the DAUW offices. Later he discovered a fourth box. The keys were found in Suplizio’s desk at the DAUW building.
An investigation was also done into Suplizio’s JH Suplizio Battalion One Fire Equipment Company. The purpose of the company was to sell fire equipment to local fire departments.
A detective discovered that there was no reason the fire companies couldn’t directly order the equipment themselves.
Suplizio’s company charged “a markup of about 50 percent of what the purchase price would have been if they had purchased directly from the manufacturer,” it says in the criminal complaint.
It is explained that the Volunteer Fireman’s Relief Association affiliated with the DFVD needs to be set up as a separate legal entity to receive grant money from the state. Suplizio’s company had six transactions with local relief organizations.
The detective “indicated that the fact that the DVFD Relief Association paid a large mark-up for goods they could have ordered directly from the manufacturer did not appear to be consistent with the guidelines.”
Another new accusation involves Suplizio repeatedly pressuring employees of Sheetz not to file theft charges against Randy Schmidt, who was DuBois Mayor at that time.
The business explained Schmidt had stolen from them at least 17 times, but still Suplizio asked them to “make it go away.”
“Suplizio responded that it was a shame because Sheetz had always had such a good working relationship with the City of DuBois and it would be a shame if something happened to change that,” it says in the affidavit of probable cause.
An employee felt he was “trying to intimidate and manipulate” her.
Online court documents indicate Schmidt, who resigned as mayor, was charged by state police with misdemeanor receiving stolen property and a summary count of retail theft in September of 2020. He pleaded guilty at the magistrate level for fines and costs.
Suplizio was arraigned on the new charges Wednesday and released on $100,000, unsecured bond. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Nov. 28 at the Clearfield County Courthouse with Senior Magisterial District Judge Carmine Prestia presiding.
Prestia was assigned to the case after District Magistrate Dave Meholick asked to be recused.
For information on the original charges, click here.
For information on a temporary injunction in place that is preventing DuBois City Council from buying out the remainder of Suplizio’s employment contract, click here.