Rostraver commissioner appeals harassment conviction

A Rostraver commissioner is appealing his conviction of three summary counts of harassment.

John Lorenzo, 43, was found guilty during a three-hour May 18 summary trial for making harassing statements toward the township manager and two fellow commissioners, slapping one in the face, at a township Halloween event. Prosecution witnesses testified that they heard Lorenzo use expletives or express displeasure with a person or the handling of the Oct. 31 event at the DiVirgilio Sports Complex.

Defense witnesses said nothing of the sort happened. His attorney has claimed the situation was politically motivated.

Lorenzo was ordered in June 2022 to spend two years in a probationary program on charges that he created fake social media accounts and used “burner” phones to harass political opponents and rivals. If the program is successfully completed, his record could be wiped clean.

He has paid $600 in fines in the summary cases. A summary appeal trial has not been scheduled.

Lorenzo was the top vote-getter on the Republican ticket during the May primary and also earned a Democratic nomination through write-in votes. Lorenzo first joined the board in 2019 and, afterward, switched his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican.