Attorney General Dave Sunday filed charges Thursday against two Sharon Hill police officers who had previously been the subjects of search warrants served by Delaware County Criminal Investigation Division detectives.
Sharon Hill Detective Vincent Procopio is charged with possession with intent to deliver for acting as an accomplice to the drug-dealing. Other charges include bribery, tampering with physical evidence, criminal use of a communication facility, hindering apprehension and obstructions related to Procopio allegedly assisting the drug dealer in exchange for cocaine.
Officer Domenic Dellabarba is charged with obstructing the administration of the law, hindering apprehension, tampering with evidence, possession of a controlled substance and unlawful use a computer.
Both were the target of warrants served by CID detectives in February. A third Darby Township officer was also served, but has not been charged at this point, so the Daily Times is withholding their name for now.
“The actions of these sworn officers were betrayals of the community and of their fellow officers, who abided by their sworn oaths to protect and serve,” Sunday said in the release. “These selfish, criminal acts also stain the reputations of many public servants who make sacrifices for their communities every day across the Commonwealth.”
Sharon Hill Police Chief Richard Herron did not immediately reply to a request for comment, but Delaware County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 27 President Chris Eiserman said the allegations were an affront to all the FOP represents.
“The alleged actions by these two men will not be tolerated and will not define the great work a vast majority of our membership does,” Eiserman said. “Based on the alleged conduct, and within the rules of our organization, the FOP is not providing any legal representation to the defendants.”
Eiserman added that the lodge has always upheld the highest standards in law enforcement and will continue to do so. He said the FOP is taking the allegations seriously and would take appropriate action within its legal framework, but would not have further comment so as not to affect the criminal proceedings.
“This matter is being prosecuted by the Office of the Attorney General,” said District Attorney Tanner Rouse in a brief statement. “I will only comment that any time a police officer is accused of this sort of behavior it is deeply troubling, all the more so when it is someone you worked closely with.”
According to the release, Procopio and Dellabarba assisted the drug dealer by providing them with confidential law enforcement information. The dealer is not named but is also facing criminal charges.
Procopio allegedly informed the dealer of any known investigations into their activities and if any of the dealer’s acquaintances were working with law enforcement.
Dellabarba allegedly assisted the dealer after it was known the dealer was under investigation, including informing the dealer if they had any active warrants.
It was not immediately clear how the charges might impact prosecuting cases the officers worked on or whether any of the dealer’s acquaintances faced any retribution if they were working with law enforcement that could be traced back to the information Procopio allegedly provided the dealer.
One source inside the District Attorney’s Office speaking on condition of anonymity said neither of the officers would be called to testify in a case again.
“We have to take it on a case-by-case basis, but we will be working on trying to find ways to proceed on the case without them or withdrawing the case if necessary,” they said.
That source said that from the evidence, it was not simply a case of cops doing drugs in Procopio’s case and that it was more like he was “working for the other team.”
The Daily Times is waiting to view affidavits of probable cause for both officers, but the source said that particularly in the case of Procopio, it felt like a betrayal in the office. Several other employees there voiced similar sentiments.
The cases were referred to the Office of Attorney General by the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office. They will be prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General John Hamme of the Public Corruption Section.
Sunday indicated the investigation is ongoing.
Procopio and Dellabarba were both arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Elizabeth Gallard in Media, who set bail at $200,000 unsecured for each.
They are scheduled for preliminary hearings May 1. No defense attorneys were listed on online court records as of Thursday afternoon.
The story will be updated as more information becomes available.