Scott Twp. Police Chief James Romano met the 20-year-old woman while investigating sexual assault charges against a Lakeland teacher.
Chief Romano, also a part-time Dickson City police officer, is now facing charges for having sex with her after she became a witness in the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s case against Matthew Stevens, the former Lakeland band teacher accused of sexually assaulting a former student.
The state attorney general’s office charged Chief Romano, 42, 127 Chapman Lake Road, of Scott Twp., on Wednesday with two counts related to intimidating a witness and one count of obstructing justice. He was suspended without pay, arraigned and placed in Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $150,000 straight bail. Later Wednesday, he posted the bail and was released.
Chief Romano and the district attorney’s office jointly investigated Mr. Stevens and rumors he had sex with another student. Chief Romano teamed up with Lackawanna County Detective Michelle Mancuso and met with the new witness on March 7, who told investigators Mr. Stevens did have sex with her when she was a minor.
The Times-Tribune does not identify victims of sexual assault.
Lackawanna County Deputy District Attorney Jennifer McCambridge said there are no charges pending through her office against Mr. Stevens based on the allegations made by the second woman.
“The original case against Matthew Stevens was filed before we had any knowledge of this other victim,” she said.
In February, Mr. Stevens was charged with institutional sexual assault, unlawful contact with a minor and corruption of minors after an 18-year-old came forward and reported having a sexual relationship with him starting when she was 17. Those charges were held for trial after a preliminary hearing last month.
Ms. McCambridge said although the charges against Chief Romano may affect the whether the woman who came forward after Mr. Stevens was charged will testify in the case against the band teacher, it will not affect the trajectory of his case.
Investigators say Chief Romano began a relationship with the witness who came forward in March soon after meeting her. At his request, she sent suggestive pictures to him via text message and the two had sex at his home on March 17. Chief Romano is also accused of revealing confidential information to the woman about the investigation, and even told her she was “his favorite victim.”
From March 7 to March 27, they exchanged “hundreds” of text messages. After the district attorney’s office initiated an investigation into Chief Romano’s conduct with the woman, the chief directed the woman via text to “remember nothing about me.”
Additionally, investigators say Chief Romano made a call to Dickson City Police Officer Cory Condrad after the woman told him the officer discovered her using heroin in a parked car. Officer Condrad told investigators that, during their phone conversation, Chief Romano said the woman was part of the investigation into Mr. Stevens. At the conclusion of the call, it was agreed no charges would be filed, the officer told investigators.
The Attorney General’s office contends Chief Romano’s actions compromised his integrity and that of investigation and “impaired, impeded and/or obstructed the administration of justice by breaching his duty as a police officer” in the criminal investigation of Mr. Stevens. Also, by directing the witness to not disclose their relationship, he took part in withholding information from law enforcement.
Neither the attorney general’s office nor Chief Romano could not be reached for comment Wednesday night.
Chief Romano is suspended without pay, Scott Twp. Solicitor Richard Fanucci said. His annual salary is $52,624, township officials previously reported. In Dickson City, where Chief Romano is a part-time officer, he is still off the schedule, Dickson City Chief William Bilinski said.
He is slated for a preliminary hearing May 1 and was ordered to have no contact with the witnesses or the victims of the investigation.
According to the criminal complaint, these charges are not the first filed against Chief Romano, who began working as a part-time patrol officer in Scott Twp in 1996. Investigators said he was charged with receiving stolen property and related counts in 1997 after an investigation by state police. Chief Romano pleaded guilty to summary counts of criminal mischief and disorderly conduct, according to the criminal complaint filed Wednesday.