York County Judge Steven Stambaugh, 61, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on multiple charges, including wire fraud, witness tampering, and obstruction of justice. The indictment alleges that Stambaugh instructed his employees to file for unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic while they continued to work for him. The alleged fraud took place between March 19 and May 18, 2020, while Stambaugh was running his private practice, Stambaugh Law, P.C.
According to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Stambaugh is charged with 26 counts of wire fraud, two counts of mail fraud, two counts of tampering with a witness, and one count of obstruction of justice.
The indictment also alleges that Stambaugh attempted to intimidate and persuade a government witness to offer false testimony before a federal grand jury and to lie to federal law enforcement. He is also accused of attempting to obstruct justice while serving as a judicial officer for the Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas for York County.
If convicted, Stambaugh could face severe penalties. The maximum penalty under federal law for mail/wire fraud and witness tampering is 20 years of imprisonment, while the maximum penalty for obstruction of justice is 10 years of imprisonment.
Stambaugh was elected to the York County Court of Common Pleas in 2021. The allegations in the indictment primarily concern fraud committed while he ran his private practice.