Former Tyrone Area School District Chief of Police Mark Frailey is being investigated by Pennsylvania State Police for endangering the welfare of children and corruption of minors.
A search warrant was issued by District Justice Todd Kelly yesterday to search the premises of the Tyrone School District Central Administration Office at 801 Clay Avenue, Tyrone and a garage at the rear of 320 W. 17th Street in Tyrone.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, On June 17, a juvenile and her mother were interviewed by Corporal Darron Stratton at the Hollidaysburg State Police barracks.
Frailey, 40, began to drive the juvenile home after events and was asked by the mother to stop the action, a request Frailey ignored.
The mother accused Frailey of coming to pick up the juvenile at her residence at 5:30 a.m. for a school related breakfast, a function school officials had no knowledge about.
On June 16, 2003, Frailey called the cell phone of the juvenile and the mother answered the phone and realized that it was Frailey.
The juvenile admitted that in mid-to-late May 2003, Frailey french kissed her at a spot located along SR 453 just past the Grier School for girls. On June 12, she met him there again on June 12, they met again, french kissed and began touching each other inappropriately.
Stratton interviewed Frailey at the Hollidaysburg barracks in June 18 and he denied any inappropriate behavior, but later offered the only thing that happened between him and the juvenile was with her consent.
On June 25, the juvenile, her mother and Cpl. Stratton met with Family Services and during that interview, the juvenile advised that she did have sexual intercourse with Frailey on at least three separate occasions, all at his residence.
On August 10, Christopher Gurekovich advised Cpl. Stratton that Frailey appeared at his home on July 22 and told Gurekovich that he had made a mistake and had sex with a juvenile at Colerain State Park in Huntingdon County. Frailey told Gurekovch that he was okay and not to worry because police can only arrest him for corruption of minors because he waited for the juvenile to turn 16.
Frailey quietly disappeared from the school district in early May 2003 and resigned his position as police chief in June 2003.
Dr. William Miller, superintendent of schools at Tyrone, said, “legally, all I can say is that he was employed here at the school district and resigned in June of 2003.”
Frailey also worked for the Tyrone Borough police department.
Before coming to Tyrone, Frailey was employed by the borough of Vintondale and served there from 1999 until August of 2000 when he was hired at Tyrone.
Vintondale Borough Secretary Don Kenekes was unavailable for comment at press time.
The search warrant issued on August 11, 2003 was requested by District Justice David Gorman and netted from the school administration offices, a letter dated April 21 from the juvenile’s mother, a letter from the Forest Hills School District, a letter dealing with the Vinton/Dale newspaper article a fax to school district solicitor Cindy Yeager, eight printed e-mail messages and a box of printed e-mail messages.
The second warrant issued for the address of 320 W. 17th Street netted 2 VCR tapes and a folder entitled personnel.
Cpl. Stratton was unavailable for comment. Charges have not yet been filed on Frailey and the investigation continues.
According to the Blair County District Attorney’s Office, if charges are filed, the sentencing guidelines for the offenses range from probation to a maximum of five years.
Frailey at Tyrone, served as police chief, junior high girls’ softball coach and advisor to the Police Explorers.
