May 29, 2015 3 min read

Former Washington County juvenile probation chief Daniel Clements pleaded guilty Friday to theft by deception and tampering with evidence before visiting Senior Judge Daniel L. Howsare. The charges stemmed from an allegation Clements pocketed funds meant for mixed-martial arts training – a form of self-defense the department since dropped.

Clements, 46, whose last known address was in Aliquippa, was charged with the misdemeanors in October, shortly after he resigned. The Washington County district attorney’s office filed the charges after receiving a referral from the Pennsylvania Judicial Conduct Board. The referral focused on “possible payment of county funds for a training session that never occurred” June 6 and 7, 2013.

The affidavit of probable cause submitted by James McElhaney, chief county detective, notes he and county Detective Richard Gluth interviewed each member of both the juvenile and adult probation offices, but they could find no one who took part in mixed-martial arts training during that time period.

“It was purported that this training had been administered by Justin Watters of H2O Mixed-Martial Arts,” the arrest affidavit said. Watters reportedly conducted this type of training in the past. Watters allegedly told investigators Clements told him funds for training “had to be used or lost” and asked him to provide an invoice stating the training took place. Watters expected the training to take place at a later date, but it did not, investigators said.

Washington County processed payment, and Watters told investigators he cashed the check and provided between $1,800 and $2,000 to Clements “because when this arrangement was made, Clements told Watters that he needed money and would need to get at least half of the $3,500. Watters related this was not unusual as he had given money back to Clements for past mixed-martial arts training sessions he had actually provided,” the affidavit stated.

Watters has not been charged.

While a synopsis of the events was read in court Friday, Clements looked down at his hands. Howsare asked Clements if he admitted to his actions, and Clements replied, “Yes.”

Washington County District Attorney Gene Vittone said his office recommended a probationary sentence as punishment. Vittone said Clements, who worked for the county since April 1994, will forfeit his pension. Pennsylvania Act 140, the Public Employee Pension Forfeiture Act, requires a public employee who is convicted or pleads guilty to certain criminal charges forfeit his pension. Clements also will pay restitution, his lawyer, Steve Colafella said.

Colafella declined additional comment until his client is sentenced. First Assistant District Attorney Chad Schneider, who is handling the case, referred comment to Vittone.

Court Administrator Patrick Grimm said state taxpayer dollars funded juvenile probation officers’ self-defense training through the Juvenile Court Judges Commission, a state agency based in Harrisburg.

The $3,500 was the “last allocation for this type of training, and there are no plans to have that type of training in the future as a matter of policy,” Grimm said. “I think training dollars could be used in a more effective fashion.”

The juvenile probation office is responsible for supervising sentencing and probation for juvenile offenders and preparing reports for the court on juveniles’ home life and school performance.

The office also is the subject of a pending whistleblower suit filed by former probation officer David Scrip in August. Named as defendants are former president judge Debbie O’Dell Seneca, former deputy court administrator Thomas Jess, Clements and Washington County. Scrip claims his employment was wrongfully terminated after he tried to shed light on what he claimed were improper practices in the probation department.

Clements is out of jail on $25,000 bond. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for Aug. 18.