"Erie airport security director, police officer charged in towing scheme"

Thursday, February 13, 2003

Erie airport security director, police officer charged in towing scheme 
The Associated Press


ERIE, Pa. (AP) -- The security director at Erie International Airport, a
police sergeant and the owner of a towing company were indicted for
allegedly helping the towing business illegally take vehicle titles, some of
which were resold, police said. 

Security chief David Bagnoni, Erie Sgt. Mark Sanders and West End Auto Body
owner Daniel Strong were charged with unsworn falsification, tampering with
public records or information and related charges. Strong also was charged
with operating a corrupt organization. 

The charges stem from 13 cars and trucks and one motorcycle for which West
End obtained, or tried to obtain, ownership between 1996 and 2000, using
state Department of Transportation documents. 

State police filed the charges Wednesday, following a two-year state grand
jury investigation. 

According to the grand jury presentment, Bagnoni, a former Erie police
officer, and Sanders, friends of Strong's, signed forms that allowed
Strong's business to circumvent legally required procedures for obtaining
titles. 

Whenever vehicles appear to be abandoned and need to be towed, PennDOT
requires forms filled out by the towing company to be signed by a police
officer, to attest the information is true. 

That wasn't done in these cases, because Bagnoni and Sanders did not have
Erie police authorization to sign the forms, authorities said. 

A former West End employee testified that West End used a computer program
to generate fictitious ads, which did not run in local papers, but were sent
to PennDOT along with abandoned vehicle paperwork. State law requires the
ads to be published to show that an effort has been made to find the owners
of the vehicles. 

Strong's ex-wife, Julie A. Grehl, and son, Christopher D. Strong, also were
charged. 

Bagnoni, Sanders, Daniel Strong and Christopher Strong surrendered to
authorities Thursday, and all were released on bond after arraignments.
Philip Friedman, who represents Grehl, said she is on vacation and will
surrender when she returns. 

David Ridge, who represents Daniel Strong, and Philip Friedman, Grehl's
attorney, said they intend to fight the charges. 

Jamie Mead, Bagnoni's lawyer, said Bagnoni was only taking part in the
"process of taking care of abandoned vehicles. He never made any attempt to
defraud anyone." 

Sanders' lawyer, John Garhart, declined comment. Christopher Strong and his
attorney, Tim George, were unavailable for comment.


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