Gun Permit Leak Costs 3 Deputy Sheriffs Their Jobs

Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli says his investigation into an apparent leak of confidential gun permit information from the county sheriff's office is at an end.

Earlier this year, county detectives charged former deputy sheriff Darin Steward with giving West Easton Councilwoman Kelly Gross a gun permit application filled out by Tricia Mezzacappa, a longtime political rival of Gross.

At a news conference Wednesday, Morganelli said that further investigation found that two other deputies—Thomas Bachik and Pat Crivellaro—were present when Steward copied the permit information on March 10, but said nothing. They've both resigned since then.

"In light of their voluntary departure, and in light of the fact that the evidence appears to suggest that the main actor in the copying and dissemination of confidential information was Deputy Steward, this office will not pursue any further action against Deputy Sheriff Crivellaro and Deputy Sheriff Bachik," Morganelli told reporters.

Steward, 45, of Plainfield Township, is charged with illegal dissemination of information and obstruction of the administration of law. He waived his preliminary hearing last month, meaning his case is headed to county court.

Morganelli said Wednesday that Steward could be eligible for the first-time offenders program, which would expunge his record.

According to court records, the case began when attorney Richard Orloski notified the Northampton County District Attorney that he had gotten a photo copy of a license-to-carry application.

Court records do not indicate whose application Orloski had received. However, Orloski forwarded a copy of his letter to the DA to Patch editors earlier this year, indicating the permit had been filed by Mezzacappa, a West Easton resident and former county council candidate.

In Orloski's e-mail, he states that Mezzacappa had used him as a reference in her permit application, when he in fact was in no way endorsing her.

Orloski represents blogger Bernie O'Hare, who has a long-running feud with Mezzacappa.

Gross would not face charges, Morganelli said Wednesday.

Court records say the sheriff had one of his sergeants look into the leak. One day in March, the sergeant and Steward were target shooting when the sergeant mentioned the investigation.

"You don't have to do an investigation," Steward allegedly said. "I did it."

Morganelli said he also looked into Mezzacappa's application itself, noting that she listed Orloski and county Executive John Stoffa as references -- two men she shouldn't have expected to act as references.

Although filing false information of a gun permit application is illegal, Morganelli said he wouldn't be prosecuting, noting that Mezzacappa was the victim in the case.