Donora council nominee indicted by state grand jury for theft, extortion
A Democratic nominee for Donora borough council who made his mark in the 1980s and 1990s playing basketball has been indicted by a state grand jury on charges of theft by deception and extortion in Lancaster County.
The state Attorney General蘑菇视频 office said charges were filed against Yancey Darnell Taylor, 45, in connection with incidents dating back to October 2012 that emptied the $159,000 life savings of retired 69-year-old schoolteacher Karen A. Fedrow 鈥� and included threats of retaliation by 鈥渢he Mafia鈥� if she called the police.
鈥淗e came into her life, gained her trust, and then abused that trust to fuel his own greed and gambling habit,鈥� Attorney General Josh Shapiro told reporters in Lancaster. 鈥淲e will not tolerate those who scam our seniors. We鈥檙e here to protect them.鈥�
The attorney who accompanied Taylor to a grand jury appearance eight months ago and an arraignment on Tuesday near Lancaster disputed the attorney general蘑菇视频 claims.
鈥淗e does not think he took advantage of her in any way,鈥� Harrisburg attorney Corky Goldstein said. 鈥淣or that he stole money from her. As far as he is concerned he did not steal any money.鈥�
The grand jury presentment said Taylor stole 鈥渁 significant amount of money鈥� totaling approximately $159,000 from Fedrow 鈥渂y deceiving her into believing he would invest the money that she gave to him鈥� in an opportunity that would mean a guaranteed return.
Shapiro was joined at the Lancaster County Courthouse by Senior Deputy Attorney General Daniel Dye and Lancaster County District Attorney Craig Stedman.
Shortly thereafter, accompanied by Goldstein, Taylor was brought on a warrant before Manheim Township Magisterial District Judge David P. Miller who arraigned him on second-degree felony counts of theft by deception-false impression and theft by extortion.
Goldstein said Taylor was questioned before the grand jury about two cases, but was not indicted in the other case, which he did not detail.
Shapiro said investigators believe there may be additional victims who were scammed by Taylor, and urged anyone with information to contact his office蘑菇视频 Bureau of Criminal Investigations at 717-787-6858, or to email scams@attorneygeneral.gov.
Goldstein said Taylor turned himself in to authorities in Washington County before being taken to Manheim Township.
鈥淗e waived extradition (from Washington County to Lancaster County) and then the agents of the attorney general蘑菇视频 office advised him of his rights and the charges against him,鈥� Goldstein said. 鈥淗e was fully cooperative. He has been very cooperative.鈥�
At Goldstein蘑菇视频 suggestion, Miller released Taylor on an unsecured bond of $50,000 pending a preliminary hearing in his chambers at 9 a.m. on June 9. Goldstein said Taylor is self-employed and is the primary caregiver for his daughter蘑菇视频 two children.
Goldstein said Taylor has not retained him as yet for that hearing, but if he remains as Taylor蘑菇视频 attorney he will ask for a continuance of that scheduled hearing.
One reason is a conflict with a trial where Goldstein is one of the counsel. As for the other, he said, 鈥淚 need some time to sit with Mr. Taylor.鈥�
If convicted, Taylor could face up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $25,000.
鈥淚鈥檓 shocked to hear of this,鈥� said an obviously-surprised Donora Council President Dennis Gutierrez, who otherwise said he was not able to comment Tuesday afternoon.
Taylor was a basketball star at Ringgold High School in 1987-90 and later at Indiana University of Pennsylvania where he graduated in 1994 and was named to IUP蘑菇视频 Hall of Fame in September 2013. He then played pro basketball for seven years in Europe.
In 2015 he was inducted into the Mid Mon Valley All Sports Hall of Fame at its 22nd annual banquet.
He was cited for rewriting the basketball record book at Ringgold, where he led the Rams to the 1990 WPIAL Quad-A title and became the Rams鈥� career leader in scoring (1,626), assists (437), and three-point baskets (108) as well as the single-season leader in scoring (700) and steals (107). At IUP he finished with a total of 1,257 points, 406 assists and 424 free throws.
Taylor was the top vote-getter for council in the May 16 Democratic primary, according to complete but unofficial results from the Washington County Elections Office. He had 450 votes or 66 more than second-place finisher Cynthia Brice.
鈥淢y staff workers worked tirelessly,鈥� Taylor said the day after the primary. 鈥淲e knocked on almost 1,300 doors, and it showed.鈥�
Taylor said he wanted to listen to the people to help make changes, be honest to the residents, reach out to get businesses to the area and fight the heroin epidemic.
Initially, Shapiro said, Taylor helped Fedrow recover funds owed to her by a previous tenant, gaining her trust. After that, the attorney general said, she began investing money with Taylor, who allegedly told her she had to keep paying more money or her initial investment would be lost.
In June 2013, according to court documents, Fedrow withdrew $18,000 over a five-day period and gave it to Taylor.
The presentment went on to say Taylor alleged 鈥渢hat organized crime or 鈥榯he Mafia鈥� were involved鈥� and that both he and Fedrow 鈥渉ad to answer to 鈥楾he Boss'鈥� and that the woman was fearful of retaliation against her or her daughter if she called the police.
鈥淭he investigation revealed that anytime that she attempted to resist Taylor蘑菇视频 demands for money, Fedrow received strange telephone calls from unknown individuals who threatened her,鈥� the presentment said.
Fedrow told the grand jury that she had come to own a home in Westmoreland County upon the passing of her father and that she rented it out to Taylor for $690 a month.
鈥淪he testified that Taylor was charming and charismatic,鈥� the presentment said. 鈥淭aylor befriended Fedrow and learned of her daughter蘑菇视频 health challenges, the fact that Fedrow had saved money for her daughter蘑菇视频 education, and that she was undertaking efforts to save money for retirement.鈥�
Taylor has had other problems. A summons was issued May 19 for him to appear before Monongahela Magisterial District Judge Mark Wilson on a count of driving without a license filed by Pennsylvania State Police out of Uniontown after a May 2 incident in Carroll Township.
The attorney general also sought to advise citizens, particularly the elderly, about tips from his office蘑菇视频 Bureau of Consumer Protection about how to avoid being scammed by criminals.
鈥淒o not provide money for investments right away,鈥� Shapiro said. 鈥淩esearch the investment and speak with friends, family and financial advisors.鈥�
He suggested seeing if the salesperson in question is registered with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority or FINRA, and to check with the federal Securities and Exchange Commission regarding a salesperson蘑菇视频 financial statements.
鈥淚f it sounds too good to be true, it probably is,鈥� the attorney general said.
Staff Writer Christopher Buckley contributed to this story.