A Scranton police detective previously accused of falsely claiming pay for patrolling city housing areas is set to face further legal proceedings in Lackawanna County Court.
David J. Mitchell, 47, decided to waive his preliminary hearing on the charge of theft by deception, which was originally scheduled for Tuesday.
Mitchell, who began his tenure with the force in 1999 and was elevated to detective sergeant in May 2019, is one of three city officers under scrutiny for allegedly filing erroneous paperwork to gain pay for patrol duties at Scranton Housing Authority sites.
According to an arrest affidavit, between January and May 2022, Mitchell claimed to have completed seven overtime shifts at Valley View Terrace or Hilltop Manor, despite never leaving his residence.
State special agent Kevin M. Schofield noted in the affidavit, “Mitchell submitted false patrol logs for six of these shifts indicating he was physically patrolling the area when he was not.”
Most of these shifts were scheduled from midnight to 4 a.m., with Mitchell only partially patrolling during another 13 shifts, which were also either late-night or evening hours.
Mitchell’s Interaction with the FBI
In an interaction with the FBI in May 2022, Mitchell acknowledged he wasn’t actively patrolling the housing complexes, according to the affidavit.
Schofield wrote, “Instead, Mitchell told investigators that he stayed home and waited for a call to come over the radio at which point he claims he would respond to the incident. Mitchell claimed that he was never told he had to report to the housing complexes in person and actively patrol, notwithstanding this was the intent of the grant paid duty.”
Schofield further reported that former police chiefs and supervisors stated that all extra-duty assignments required physical presence, contradicting Mitchell’s claims.
Another officer, identified as Detective 1, emphasized the need for presence, stating, “It was obvious and known to the officers … they had to be present” on patrol. Schofield added that Detective 1, who has known Mitchell for a long time, believed Mitchell was aware of the patrol requirements.
Departure from City Employment
City spokesman Christopher Hughes confirmed via email in November that Mitchell is no longer employed by the city.
Hughes stated, “David Mitchell applied for, and was granted, a length of service pension, which is deferred until such time as he reaches the required age … 55 years old. To that end, he is no longer an active employee of the city.”
Mitchell was not the only officer implicated. Former police Sgt. Jeffrey Vaughn and former patrolman and police union president Paul Helring, both involved in supervising and overseeing these assignments, faced federal charges.
The reasons for their federal charges compared to Mitchell’s state charge remain unclear.
Details on Vaughn’s Actions
Vaughn, in service since around 2000, faced charges in August 2022 for theft from a federally funded program. He pleaded guilty in January 2023. By May 9, 2023, he was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert D. Mariani to six months in prison, two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay fines and restitution.
Vaughn was accused of claiming over $5,000 for shifts he hadn’t patrolled, affecting complexes like Village Park and Hilltop Manor.
Details on Helring’s Actions
Helring, who joined the force in March 1999, was charged in November 2023 and also pleaded guilty in January 2024. By June 4, 2024, Mariani sentenced him to six months in prison, along with fines and restitution.
Helring’s accusations included claiming pay for unattended shifts and falsifying patrol logs for complexes such as Skytop Apartments and Valley View Terrace. He manipulated the scheduling system to inflate his hours, sometimes claiming shifts in multiple locations simultaneously.
Following the uncovering of his actions, Helring’s disability pension, granted in August 2022, was revoked in October 2024, a decision upheld by Judge Terrence R. Nealon after an appeal by Helring.
