Washington Township police charge man awaiting trial with trying to intimidate witness

Washington Township police say a man who is in jail awaiting trial on multiple felony counts was charged with another felony after he tried to intimidate a witness.

Harold Michael Franks, 40, 300 block of Route 356 is in the Westmoreland County jail awaiting trial on felony charges filed in August by Washington Township police that include illegal possession of a firearm, aggravated assault, strangulation, theft and receiving stolen property.

He also was charged with misdemeanor counts of making terroristic threats, unlawful restraint, reckless endangerment and simple assault.

Franks faces formal arraignment on those charges before Westmoreland County Common Pleas Judge Scott O. Mears on Nov. 23, according to court records.

Police say that between Aug. 12 and Aug. 28, Franks used a telephone at the county jail to make seven calls to a witness asking them not to show up for hearings to testify against him, according to a criminal complaint.

Investigators said calls made by prisoners at the jail are recorded.

During an Aug. 25 call to the witness, Franks is accused of asking them to “not take the rest of my life away” by testifying against him.

“You know how (expletive) I am, I’m not threatening you, I’m being honest with you,” the complaint said.

When the witness asked Franks whether he is planning to kill them when he is released from jail, he responded: “No, no, no, I didn’t say that, you said that, you know how I am. … I’m telling you now, I’m not taking these charges, if you do this, I promise you it’s not over.”

During an Oct. 17 preliminary hearing before District Judge Jason Buczak, Franks was ordered to stand trial on the witness intimidation charge, court records show.

Bail for that charge was set at $100,000.