HARRISBURG — Attorney General Josh Shapiro today announced that the former Mayor of Bloomsburg pleaded no contest to charges of patronizing prostitutes and attempting to patronize prostitutes in Columbia County.
Former mayor Eric T. Bower, 36, of East Third, Bloomsburg, was charged with patronizing prostitutes in April after he solicited sex from a Pennsylvania State Police confidential informant. Bower negotiated a fee for sex with the informant and arrived at the location with cash and condoms, where he was taken into custody by police. After entering his plea today before Common Pleas Senior Judge David Grine, Bower was sentenced to one year’s probation and ordered to pay court costs and a $500 fine. He was also ordered to undergo counseling, and to turn over his firearm in connection with his prior duties as town constable.
“The people of Bloomsburg elected Eric Bower as their mayor, and he proceeded to flout the law and solicit sex from a prostitute multiple times,” Attorney General Shapiro said. “No one is above the law. As Attorney General, I will not allow individuals in power to abuse the trust the public has placed in them. We’re rooting out public corruption of all forms wherever we find it, without fear or favor.”
The confidential informant told police she had sexual contact with Bower in exchange for cash on multiple prior occasions. Bower resigned as Mayor of Bloomsburg and town constable in May, the same day he waived his preliminary hearing on these charges. The case was referred to the Office of Attorney General by Columbia County District Attorney Thomas E. Leipold.
The case was prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Anthony W. Forray.
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