SHAMOKIN - Leo J. Mirolli Jr., a Republican candidate for Northumber-land County coroner, still owes more than $3,700 in fines and costs to the county for criminal offenses dating to 1990.
According to court records, the 42-year-old Coal Township resident owes $3,741.54 from a total of $5,780.38, nearly 65 percent.
Mirolli, who said he is employed as a paramedic, last made a payment on the fines and costs to the county cost collection office July 23 in the amount of $50, court documents show.
Mirolli said it was his understanding that all his fines were paid in full, but when it was brought to his attention years later, he was put on a payment plan and he continues to pay as agreed.
"Every human being makes bad decisions in life and has skeletons in their closet," he said in an emailed
response to questions about the situation from The News-Item. He requested time in a phone interview to prepare a response.
"My past does not define who I am today," he added.
Blames neighbors
Mirolli blames the same neighbors he's been feuding with since earlier this year for spreading information about his criminal past.
Mirolli, who claims the neighbors are supporters of incumbent Democratic Coroner James F. Kelley, suggests they are "becoming very nervous that they need to bring something up from over 20 years ago when I was basically still a child to try to discredit who I am today."
Kelley said early this month in a story about Mirolli's neighborhood feud that he doesn't know the neighbors that Mirolli claims are his supporters. Kelley said the only connection he has to the people is that they asked for campaign signs to put on their properties.
Kelley, who has been the coroner since 2002, did not return a call seeking comment for this story.
PFA, corruption, assault
Mirolli's criminal history includes charges of simple assault, a protection from abuse (PFA) violation, public drunkenness, selling alcohol or liquor to minors, corruption of minors, criminal mischief, intimidating a witness, harassment, recklessly endangering and terroristic threats. The incidents occurred in Mount Carmel Township, Kulpmont, Shamokin, Mount Carmel and Coal Township between 1989 and 2004.
The fines are paid for in the 1989 case, in which he was charged with simple assault, harassment, disorderly conduct and criminal mischief in Mount Carmel Township, and he was found not guilty of harassment involving an Oct. 5, 2004, disturbance in Coal Township. Otherwise, he still owes fines and costs in connection with the other incidents as follows:
- $504.50 out of $1,084 for a Sept. 27-28, 1990, incident in Kulpmont when he was charged with criminal mischief.
- $307.25 out of $1,445.50 for a March 16, 1990, incident in Mount Carmel in which he allegedly intimidated a witness.
- $347.20 out of $348.70 for an Oct. 1, 1990, incident that involved charges of recklessly endangering, terroristic threats and harassment.
- $1,174.50 out of $1,476 for a March 31, 1995, incident in which he was charged with selling alcohol or liquor to minors and corruption of minors in Mount Carmel Township.
- $903.51 out of $920.10 for a July 26, 1995, incident in Shamokin in which he was charged with simple assault, harassment, disorderly conduct and public drunkenness.
- $504.58 out of $506.08 for a PFA violation on May 5, 1996, in Mount Carmel Township.
According to the records office at Northumberland County Prison in Sunbury, Mirolli was a county inmate from July 27 to Dec. 5, 1995, for charges relating to the incident on July 26 of that year. He also served one day in county prison on the PFA violation in 1996.
Mirolli's campaign expenditures for coroner currently total $1,540.33.
Sticking to facts
Mirolli provided some levity to the situation.
"I best admit now before it possibly may come out in the near future, but my mother informed me when I was in kindergarten that I kicked my teacher," he said.
Mirolli said he promised his committee members when he announced his bid for coroner that he would "not throw mud and only speak about the facts," and that he's sticking to that.