A 42-year-old Overfield Twp. woman has been charged with terroristic threats and harassment after allegedly posting threatening comments in late January about an area attorney on a social media site.
Hope Elaine Moffitt of Chestnut Street, Lake Winola, was arrested Jan. 31 by Tunkhannock police after Wyoming County attorney Deborah Albert-Heise said she received information that derogatory remarks directed at her were being posted on Mrs. Moffitt's Facebook account.
On Jan. 25, the two women had appeared before Wyoming County President Judge Russell Shurtleff, who found Mrs. Moffitt guilty of harassment for sending Ms. Albert-Heise other kinds of electronic messages.
Ms. Albert-Heise is the divorce attorney for Mrs. Moffitt's husband, Sean.
According to court documents, not long after the judge's verdict on Jan. 25, Mrs. Moffitt began using her Facebook account to post messages about Ms. Albert-Heise.
A police criminal complaint says that one posting said: "This is a private message intended only for my friends to read" and noted her husband and Ms. Albert-Heise were "both lying cheating crooks."
Another called Ms. Albert-Heise, "U fat pig pathological liar. Karma will get u. Everyone that's harmed me has suffered a horrible tragedy ... can't wait to find out ur fate. Prob a heart attack from all the extra fat on u. U deserve the worst."
And that, according to the complaint, was followed up by "I don't care its better than murder my next best option."
Mrs. Moffitt was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Carl Smith on Thursday, and, according to court records, spent a night in the county jail before being able to post $10,000 bail.
She faces three misdemeanor charges: terroristic threats with intent to terrorize another, retaliation against a witness and harassment by communication.
A preliminary hearing in the matter has been set for Feb. 13, before Judge Smith.
Ms. Albert-Heise serves as the public defender for Wyoming County. In 2009, she ran in the Republican primary for Wyoming County district attorney but narrowly lost to incumbent George Skumanick.
Contact the writer: bbaker@wcexaminer.com