Channel 11 uncovers new details about alleged corruption in Aliquippa Police Department

ALIQUIPPA, Pa. — Channel 11 has uncovered new details about alleged corruption in the Aliquippa Police Department.

Reporter Amy Marcinkiewicz spoke with Steve Townsend, the attorney for Joe Perciavalle, the former police chief who is facing charges for allegedly sending sexually explicit messages to a 17-year-old girl.

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Townsend told Channel 11 that Perciavalle has been working with several agencies for more than a year to uncover alleged corruption.

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In one filing, Townsend said Perciavalle had numerous meetings with agents from the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office.

He shared an email he said is from the AG's organized crime section dated Jan 15, 2016. that said in part. "Please find an anonymous letter sent to the office concerning illegal gambling in Aliquippa. There are also allegations of police corruption. Please open a joint investigation into these allegations."

There were also text messages that Townsend said were between Perciavalle and Beaver County District Attorney David Lozier:

• Perciavalle: I was wondering what the status is with that stuff and if you referred it to the AGs
• Lozier: I spoke with a very high agency head on this
• Perciavalle: I can give you whatever you want. I have everything.
• Perciavalle: I have a meeting with a few agents from the FBI. I was wondering where we are at with the investigation.

“He was the one that was trying to flush out these facts, provide the information to uncover the corruption and provide information. To be prosecuted for that is unthinkable,” Townsend said.

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DA Lozier told Channel 11 he did exchange text messages with Perciavalle for a brief part of 2016, but had no other comment.

Channel 11's Amy Marcinkiewicz also reached out to the AG's office but has not yet received a response.

The teen Perciavalle allegedly sent a sexually explicit video to is the same teen who had been with Rachael DelTondo the night she was killed.

Cox Media Group