Cop charged with taping fellow officers

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December 22, 2009

By PATRICK BUCHNOWSKI The Tribune-Democrat Tue Dec 22, 2009, 11:08 PM EST

NANTY GLO — A Nanty Glo police officer has been charged with illegally recording a conversation between two fellow police officers.

Jody Nelson, 37, of Ebensburg, turned herself in to authorities.

She was charged Monday with interception, disclosure or use of a wire, electronic or oral communication.

It’s illegal to make an audio recording of a conversation without someone’s knowledge, Cambria County District Attorney Patrick Kiniry said.

“It’s a serious charge,” he said.

The incident happened Aug. 11 in a Sheetz store parking lot along state Route 271.

According to a criminal complaint filed by a county detective, Nelson made an audio and video recording of a conversation between two officers by using a Nanty Glo police vehicle equipped with a recording device.

She was on duty at the time.

“I don’t know why she did it,” Kiniry said.

There are limited exceptions to electronic eavesdropping in Pennsylvania but the exceptions do not apply in this case, Kiniry said.

Nelson’s status with the borough police department could not immediately be determined.

The telephone number of Nanty Glo Borough Council President Herbert Oldham was disconnected and no number was listed for Mayor Thomas Cunningham.

If convicted of the felony charge, Nelson faces up to seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine, Kiniry said.

Nelson was arraigned Monday by District Judge Rick Varner of Salix and released on $50,000 unsecured bond.

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