ACSO - News Release - 02/25/2010

PITTSBURGH, PA - Sheriff William P. Mullen has instructed his fugitive squad over the last three weeks to make a concentrated effort to clear a backlog of A.R.D. violation warrants, some dating back twenty years.

The term A.R.D. stands for Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition and is a type of probation used for first time offenders. The most common offenders placed on A.R.D. are usually for non- violent crimes. After being sentenced to A.R.D. and having completed the conditions of their probation, their criminal record gets expunged. Considering that personnel is limited, most of the deputies time is spent pursuing more dangerous fugitives wanted for violent crimes.

Since taking office as Sheriff in January of 2007, Sheriff Mullen has noticed a sharp increase in the amount of active warrants in this category with a backlog totaling almost 800 warrants. Sheriff Mullen instructed the fugitive squad to work with the Pre-Trial Services Division of the criminal court and develop a way to help clear this backlog. Since the middle of January, sheriff’s deputies and representatives of the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas have arrested or made arrangements for over 250 of these people to surrender. The A.R.D. violators’ outstanding debt amounted to over $250,000 in court costs and restitution at the time the warrants were cleared. Most of the offenders still lived in Allegheny County, however the majority of the remaining active warrants are for fugitives that moved out of Allegheny County or even out of state. Throughout this process, deputies have located offenders as far away as California. Each wanted individual that lives outside Allegheny County has been mailed a letter to their most recent updated address informing them of the legal matters they must attend to in Allegheny County. Furthermore, defendants have been advised that they have ten days from the date of the letter to contact the courts. After this ten day grace period, a determination will be made as to the changing of extradition of the remaining warrants. The defendants have been advised that if they were to be extradited to Allegheny County, the costs of the extradition would be added to their court costs, which could total hundreds, if not thousands of dollars.

For any person or media requesting to view a list of the remaining offenders wanted on these A.R.D. violations, please visit the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office website at www.sheriffalleghenycounty.com. Please be advised that any person’s name that appears on this list has an active warrant as of 02/22/2010. It is possible that even though your name is not on this list, that you still may be wanted. Sheriff Mullen asks that if you or anyone you know appears on this list, please contact Allegheny County Pre-trial Services during normal business hours at 412-350-4632.

OUTSTANDING ARD VIOLATOR LIST