Published: October 10, 2008 11:28 pm      

15 scofflaws nabbed in Somerset sweep

SOMERSET — Fifteen scofflaws were apprehended late Thursday across Somerset County in a comprehensive warrant sweep, most for not paying fines on time or failing to appear in court.

In the first coordinated sweep of its kind in the county, the five district courts remained open late into the night or judges were on call for arraignments, District Judge Douglas Bell of Meyersdale said.

“If you have a coordinated effort like that, you can get good results, and it lets people know we haven’t forgotten about their warrants,” Bell said Friday.

“It sends a message,” added District Judge Joe Cannoni of Windber.

In all, Bell said 10 people with outstanding warrants were caught by Meyersdale and Summit Township police, while five more were brought to Cannoni’s office by officers from Windber and Paint boroughs and Paint Township.

No outstanding warrants were served during the sweep out of magisterial offices in Confluence and Boswell. Information was not immediately available from District Judge Art Cook in Somerset.

Most of the violators, Bell said, were wanted for not paying court-related fines and costs, failing to appear in court, or not responding to traffic tickets and other minor offenses.

By doing the sweep in the evening, Bell said, “The purpose is to catch people off guard.”

Cannoni said his office will continue to hold the sweeps on a regular basis.

Before the sweep, he said he provided local police departments with a list of outstanding warrants out of his office.

“I think it’s a good idea,” he said. “I’m probably going to do it several times a year now. It helps clean up some of the warrants that get stale.”