CHARGED: Detective Had Sex with Confidential Informant – Interfered Numerous Times with Criminal Prosecution Against Her
HARRISBURG — Attorney General Josh Shapiro today announced that a former Johnstown police detective is facing trial on charges he obstructed the administration of law and hindered the prosecution of a confidential informant with whom the detective was having a sexual relationship.
Daniel Fisher, 44, of the 500 block of Killian Street, Johnstown, is charged with interfering with law enforcement on numerous occasions to either reduce charges or keep charges from being filed against a female informant, who once referred to Fisher as her boyfriend to law enforcement officials.
“This defendant is charged with trading his law enforcement position for sexual favors and he violated his oath to the people of Cambria County,” Attorney General Josh Shapiro said. “No one is above the law. As Attorney General, I am focused on rooting out public corruption wherever we find it – without fear or favor. We’ll hold this individual accountable.”
During their investigation, Office of Attorney General agents learned that Fisher once lied to an Assistant Cambria County district attorney to get drunk driving charges reduced against the informant, telling the prosecutor the informant was helpful in the recovery of several guns and an investigation into the homicide of two men. In reality, the informant made only one undercover drug buy during the 10 months she was an informant – and played no role in the firearms recovery or homicide investigation.
On another occasion, the informant was being arrested for public drunkenness and Fisher drove past in his private vehicle. He stopped and told the arresting officer the woman was a confidential informant. He instructed the officer to remove her handcuffs, before placing her in the passenger seat of his private car and leaving the scene. The incident resulted in an internal investigation by Johnstown Police. Fischer later resigned from the police force.
Fisher waived his right to a preliminary hearing today on the charges, and was released on $10,000 unsecured bail. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Evan A. Lowry, II.
# # #