Former Pittsburgh homicide detective accused of falsifying reports fined $200 | TribLIVE.com
TribLive Logo
| Back | Text Size:
https://triblive.com/local/pittsburgh-allegheny/former-pittsburgh-homicide-detective-accused-of-falsify-report-fined-200/

Former Pittsburgh homicide detective accused of falsifying reports fined $200

Tom Davidson
| Friday, August 2, 2019 3:19 p.m.

A former Pittsburgh homicide detective who was facing charges she lied and faked reports pleaded no contest Friday to two misdemeanor charges of hindering apprehension in a deal reached with the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.

Allegheny County Judge Jill E. Rangos levied a $200 fine and no further penalty against Margaret E. “Peg” Sherwood, 53, of Brookline.

As part of the agreement, prosecutors withdrew eight other charges against her.

A no contest plea isn’t an admission of guilt but means Sherwood acknowledged there was enough evidence to convict her if the case went to trial.

“This defendant breached the trust of her community by falsifying reports tied to two homicide cases in her role as law enforcement,” said Jacklin Rhoads, a spokeswoman for Attorney General Josh Shapiro in a statement. “Her reckless disregard for proper procedure hindered the ability of the prosecution to deliver justice for the victims of these crimes.”

The plea means Sherwood will never be able to work in law enforcement again, Rhoads said.

Sherwood’s attorney, Patrick Thomassey, didn’t immediately return a message seeking comment.

Sherwood retired from the force in June 2017 after 27 years of service.

An indictment unsealed in February 2018 accused Sherwood of writing a false police report and giving false information to prosecutors in connection with the investigation into a 2014 killing in Troy Hill.

Sherwood also ignored proper photo array procedure and then lied about it, according to the complaint.

Sherwood is also alleged to have told similar lies in her investigation into another 2014 murder, which led to the false arrest of a man for murder, according to the indictment.

In a third incident, Sherwood allegedly pressured an attorney working in the office of a magisterial district judge in Crafton to drop charges against a man who was accused of making threatening calls to his estranged wife while he was incarcerated, according to the indictment.


Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)