POTTSVILLE -- A troubled sheriff candidate in Schuylkill County says he will serve in office if elected on Tuesday even though he faces criminal charges.
The candidate held a news conference on Monday, just days after he admitted exclusively to Newswatch 16 that he pointed a gun at somebody.
Republican Schuylkill County Sheriff candidate Patrick Reynolds is charged the terroristic threats. Reynolds, a constable, admitted that he pointed a gun at a repo man, who was at the Reynolds home to repossess a car from a Reynolds relative.
Despite the charges Reynolds says if elected, he will assume office.
“I checked with the state department and the election bureau and I can take the duties of sheriff on even with these charges pending,” Reynolds said.
John Kemple took pictures of the news conference Reynolds held. He believes, if elected, Reynolds should not be sheriff until the criminal charges are dealt with in the courts.
“If he happened to win, by some kind of strange situation he should win, then I think he should resign and give it to the next runner up.”
“That’s a tough one but I think it's the people. If he's voted in, I don't know what to say about that,” said Jean Ann Matweecha of Tamaqua.
According to a spokesman for the Pennsylvania Constable Association, the president judge of the county that constable works in can discipline him or her.
Schuylkill County President Judge William Baldwin has told district magisterial offices not to do court business with Constable Reynolds. A call to the Northumberland County president judge was not returned.