Charges filed against former police officer

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Slisz obtained an evidence envelope that contained stamp bags of suspected heroin from a temporary locker in the Johnstown Public Safety Building

August 24, 2018

JOHNSTOWN, CAMBRIA COUNTY - The district attorney has announced charges against a former Johnstown police officer, 35-year-old William Slisz of Portage, PA.

Slisz is facing two counts of burglary charges, three counts of criminal trespass charges, one count of criminal attempt at burglary, one count of possession, and two counts of tampering with evidence.

On September 18, 2016, Slisz obtained an evidence envelope that contained stamp bags of suspected heroin from a temporary locker in the Johnstown Public Safety Building. It was found later that he tampered with said evidence. Slisz entered the Administrative Sergeant's office through a ceiling tile to obtain a hammer from the sergeant's desk. He exited the same way he entered. He then made multiple attempts to enter a secured evidence room from different locations on the third floor of the building.

Slisz was found lying in a fetal position under a table in the Public Safety building's roll call room at 3:15 p.m. the hammer he took from the sergeant's office was found lying next to him, and there was a hole was found in the wall between the roll call room and evidence room. Police believe Slisz was responsible for the hole.

EMS administered Naloxone to Slisz and then transferred him to the Conemaugh Memorial hospital.

Because Slisz tampered with evidence from the Johnstown Police department, 8 different cases have been dismissed on record, 7 cases entered guilty pleas to lesser charges, and 6 remain open and Commonwealth will move to dismiss them.