CHARGES HELD FOR TRIAL AGAINST FORMER LIGONIER VALLEY POLICE CHIEF

Charges were held for trial for the former Ligonier Valley police chief accused of bribery and other crimes.  The Trib reports that Judge Meghan Billik-Defazio said prosecutors did not prove that former chief John Berger was part of a drug ring lead by Michael Hootman but the other charges will be held for court.  Police discovered bottles of prescription drugs bearing identifying information of those who discarded them inside Berger’s police vehicle.  He remains free on $100,000 bond, but will head back to court in December for a trial on unrelated charges alleging he sexually assaulted a patient at a Donegal Township drug addiction treatment facility where he worked in April 2024.