The former head of a now-defunct LGBTQ advocacy organization will serve two years probation and 300 hours of community service for impersonating a first responder and forging official documents.
Gary Van Horn, 41, appeared before Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Edward J. Borkowski Friday on charges of forgery, tampering with records and impersonating a public servant and was admitted into the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program.
If he successfully completes his probation and community service, the charges against him will be expunged.
Previously the president of the Delta Foundation, Van Horn was not charged relative to the organization, which announced it was dissolving in August.
Instead, according to Pittsburgh police, on April 6, 2019, Van Horn was spotted working traffic control at an intersection close to a nearby fire call in his neighborhood. His vehicle was also equipped with emergency lighting. When an officer questioned him about it, Van Horn went to his house to get documents to show his vehicle was authorized to have the emergency lighting, although they were for another vehicle.
Then, on Sept. 27, 2019, what appeared to be the same SUV was reported as suspicious by two women protesting outside of Planned Parenthood on Liberty Avenue Downtown.
The vehicle, police said, had emergency lights on and turned in front of the two women, who felt threatened by it.
Later, Sheriff William Mullen said he never authorized Van Horn, who was a reserve sheriff’s deputy, to use emergency lights or license plates, as the documents Van Horn presented showed.
Defense attorney Phil DiLucente said that his client never had any intent to harm anyone, and therefore ARD was a great way to dispose of the case.
“It seemed like the amicable way of dealing with the situation, and he can continue on helping with the general public.”
