Greensburg, PA – Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole W. Ziccarelli announces criminal charges have been filed against two Ligonier men, including the former Ligonier Valley Police Chief, as a result of a presentment before Westmoreland County’s Grand Jury.

John Berger and Michael Hootman were criminally charged today, December 5, as a result of an ongoing drug investigation.

Evidence and testimony presented before the grand jury detailed the mutual relationship between Berger and Hootman.

Berger was Chief of Police in Ligonier Valley from 2019 until May of 2023.

Several witnesses testified before the grand jury that Hootman was their source for narcotics, including the alleged trafficking of marijuana, cocaine, and various pharmaceuticals.

Text messages revealed Berger was receiving prescription pills from Hootman for back pain as early as January of 2021 picked up pills from Hootman while Berger was on duty as police chief.

As part of the ongoing investigation, Pennsylvania State Police conducted visual and video surveillance at Hootman’s residence in April and May of 2023. In April, Berger was observed in his unmarked police cruiser at Hootman’s residence and the two making an exchange at his vehicle.

Text messages indicated that these meetings were for the purposes of Berger obtaining pain medication.

During the course of the investigation, police observed several other individuals accessing Hootman’s property or meeting Hootman in short durations appearing to be consistent with the sale of narcotics.

A search warrant was executed on Hootman’s residence and Berger’s police vehicle.

Police seized cocaine, marijuana, testosterone, and prescription pills from Hootman’s residence and investigators discovered discarded prescriptions, not belonging to Berger, believed to be taken from the police station’s Drug Take Back box inside of Berger’s police vehicle.

At no time did Berger, acting in his capacity of police chief, conduct an investigation into drug trafficking by Hootman nor did Berger arrest Hootman for the sale/delivery of narcotics he personally observed.

Hootman is facing charges of bribery and drug-related offenses related to the trafficking of narcotics.

Berger is facing charges of bribery, theft, obstruction of administration of law, criminal use of communication facility, delivery of controlled substance, acquisition of controlled substance by misrepresentation, and receipt of controlled substance.

Disclaimer: To the extent that pending criminal matters are discussed, all such charges are merely accusations and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.