EX-DISTRICT JUSTICE FACES SHOPLIFTING CHARGES IN N.J.

Gigi Sullivan, a former Springdale district justice charged in a major
bribery and drug case, is wanted on a federal warrant that charges her with
shoplifting from a military store at Fort Dix, N.J., officials said.

Sullivan, 38, of Maple Avenue, is accused of taking $76.13 worth of items
July 17, said Maj. John Giovannelli, special assistant U.S. attorney and
chief prosecutor at Fort Dix.

Sullivan's attorneys from Pittsburgh - Patrick Thomassey and Charles Porter
Jr. - didn't return calls for comment Wednesday. Sullivan also couldn't be
reached for comment.

She is free on a $10,000 recognizance bond on charges developed from a
state grand-jury probe. He is accused of corruption in office, bribery,
forgery, theft and drug charges. She and 20 others were indicted Oct. 22.

Sullivan also is accused of stealing boots and clothing worth $115 from a
Value City Department Store in Harrison Township, according to a private
complaint that was filed with District Justice Carolyn Bengel. The alleged
theft occurred Feb. 13.

Bengel recused herself from the case.

In the New Jersey case, Sullivan and her parents were on the base when her
father signed her into Fort Dix/McGuire Post/Base exchange, Giovannelli
said. Her father, Terrance Sullivan, is a retired Army sergeant major.

A security officer watched Sullivan place a watch on her wrist, pick up two
pairs of jeans and leave the store, Giovannelli said.

Her parents' whereabouts when the alleged theft occurred was not known.

Sullivan was stopped outside the store by a security officer, authorities
said.

"Her parents said: `This has to be a mistake. She is in the court system in
Pennsylvania,'" Giovannelli said.

At the time of the alleged incident, Sullivan was a district justice
running for re-election. She lost her seat in November.

The security officer took Sullivan to a room by herself where the officer
found other items, including a travel planner and makeup, authorities said.

Sullivan contacted base authorities about two weeks later.

"She said to the investigator that it wasn't her but her sister,"
Giovannelli said. "The investigator told her that her attorney could come
view the surveillance tape. The conversation ended there."

Sullivan was to be arraigned Oct. 21 on the base but failed to appear.

Thomassey asked New Jersey attorney Joseph Logan to appear on her behalf
and to request that no warrant be issued because she was in rehabilitation,
Giovannelli said.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan D. Davis denied the request and signed the
warrant.

In the state indictment, Sullivan is accused of tipping off drug dealer
Donald Geraci, 37, of Hamil Road, Penn Hills, in exchange for cocaine and
heroin, police said.

Sullivan told Geraci when authorities were going to search his former
businesses in Penn Hills, Verona and Cheswick and when there was a warrant
out for his arrest, police said.

Sullivan was not arrested Oct. 22 because Thomassey told state authorities
that she was in a rehabilitation facility in the eastern side of the state
for an addiction to painkillers. An agreement was made for Sullivan to
voluntarily surrender to state authorities on the grand-jury charges.

The federal judge will not have U.S. marshals arrest Sullivan on the
federal charge. Officials, instead, will set up a date when Sullivan
voluntarily will surrender at the base after her formal arraignment March
23 on the state charges, Giovannelli said.

Tricia Ritchie is a staff writer at the Valley News Dispatch in Tarentum.