Supik Pleads Guilty to Threatening Court Officials, Law Enforcement Officers

Leon Aristeguieta

Leon Aristeguieta

Published November 9, 2021 5:30 am
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CLARION CO., Pa. (EYT) — A former New Bethlehem man who is already serving a prison sentence for threats against local court officials and law enforcement pleaded guilty to eight counts of terroristic threats.

In Clarion County Court of Common Pleas on Wednesday, November 3, 30-year-old Joseph David Supik pleaded guilty to eight counts of Terroristic Threats With Intent to Terrorize, a first-degree misdemeanor, for eight separate cases.

As a result of the plea deal, the following aggregate charges from eight different cases against Supik were dropped:

– Retaliation Against Prosecutor or Judicial Official, Felony 2 (five counts)
– Stalking — Repeatedly Commit Acts To Cause Fear, Felony 3 (one count)
– Stalking — Repeatedly Commit Acts To Cause Fear, Misdemeanor 1 (three counts)
– Harassment — Communicate Lewd, Threatening, Etc. Language, Misdemeanor 3 (six counts)

Sentencing will be set at a later date.

Supik remains incarcerated at SCI Huntingdon.

Details of the cases:

August 6, 2020

According to the first criminal complaint, on August 6, 2020, Chief Detective William Peck, of the Clarion County Detectives, was notified that the office of District Judge Duane Quinn (District Court 18-3-01) had received a letter from Joseph Supik that contained threats against Judge Quinn.

The complaint states the letter was addressed directly to Judge Quinn and had a return address from Joseph Supik at SCI Benner in Bellefonte.

According to the complaint, the letter, which was dated July 31, 2020, contained expletive-laden threats, including Supik stating: “I see u I am bound to slap the oldness out of your (expletive).” Supik also specifically referenced a bail amount set in a previous case against him.

In the letter, Supik also reportedly made a statement about “6ft” with a downward arrow, and stated, “I got more training then you do in being a (expletive) dead Judge soon.”

The complaint notes research showed a pending criminal case was filed against Supik through Judge Quinn’s office in July 2020, which indicates the threats are a direct result of action taken by Judge Quinn in his official capacity.

Based on the investigation, the following charges were filed against Supik through Magisterial District Judge Duane L. Quinn’s office on September 4, 2020:

– Retaliation Against Prosecutor or Judicial Official, Felony 2
– Terroristic Threats With Intent To Terrorize Another, Misdemeanor 1
– Harassment — Communicate Lewd, Threatening, Etc. Language, Misdemeanor 3

August 13, 2020

According to a second criminal complaint, on August 13, 2020, Chief Detective Peck was notified that the office of District Judge Duane Quinn had received another letter from Joseph Supik that contained threats against Judge Quinn.

The complaint states the letter was postmarked August 10, 2020, and was marked as inmate mail from the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. It was addressed to Judge Quinn and had a return address from Joseph Supik at SCI Benner Township in Bellefonte.

According to the complaint, in the letter Supik made a direct threat to the judge, stating: “I will drop you with my military standard M16/M203 5.56 mm rd with a 40 MM grenade, wiping out everything around leaving no evidence to be found.”

In the letter, Supik also reportedly made a statement about “Taking your head and using it as a bowling ball.”

Research showed a pending criminal case was filed against Supik through Judge Quinn’s office in July 2020 which indicates the threats are a direct result of action taken by Judge Quinn in his official capacity, the complaint notes.

Based on the investigation, the following charges were filed against Supik through Magisterial District Judge Duane L. Quinn’s office on September 4, 2020:

– Retaliation Against Prosecutor or Judicial Official, Felony 2
– Stalking — Repeatedly Commit Acts To Cause Fear, Misdemeanor 1
– Terroristic Threats With Intent To Terrorize Another, Misdemeanor 1
– Harassment — Communicate Lewd, Threatening, Etc. Language, Misdemeanor 3

August 10, 2020

According to a third criminal complaint, on August 10, 2020, the Clarion Borough Police Department received a letter addressed to Clarion Borough Chief of Police William Peck.

The complaint states the letter was postmarked August 7, 2020, and had a return address from Joseph Supik at SCI Benner Township in Bellefonte.

According to the complaint, the letter made reference to what occurred at a preliminary hearing against Supik in Clarion County Central Court on July 28, 2020, involving previous terroristic threats charges.

In the letter, Supik reportedly stated District Attorney Drew Welsh “(expletive) the wrong person.” Supik also reportedly stated he has a “torcher [sic] plan” and is going to “put him six feet under ground.”

He reportedly went into details about using materials such as tape, staples, a railgun, hammer, pegs, saran wrap, bubble wrap, and a “45 S&W ballistic round,” and said he would then “bury him underground.”

The complaint notes these threats were a direct result of a preliminary hearing District Attorney Welsh presented against Supik on July 28, 2020, while acting in his official capacity.

Based on the investigation, the following charges were filed against Supik through Magisterial District Judge Duane L. Quinn’s office on September 4, 2020:

– Retaliation Against Prosecutor or Judicial Official, Felony 2
– Terroristic Threats With Intent To Terrorize Another, Misdemeanor 1
– Harassment — Communicate Lewd, Threatening, Etc. Language, Misdemeanor 3

August 13, 2020

According to a fourth criminal complaint, on August 13, 2020, Chief Detective Peck was notified that Warden Sprankle of Clarion County Corrections had received a letter at the jail from Joseph Supik which included a letter addressed to and making threats against Clarion County District Attorney Drew Welsh.

The complaint states the letter was postmarked August 10, 2020, and had a return address from Joseph Supik at SCI Benner Township in Bellefonte.

In the letter, Supik reportedly stated he was going to “end you(r) life,” while addressing the District Attorney, going on to say: “I ain’t going to only put you 6 ft. under but I am going to slowly torcher (sic) you bit by bit.”

Supik also reportedly made additional threats noting specific weapons and ammunition he would use and made a comment about one of the District Attorney’s family members.

These threats were a direct result of a preliminary hearing District Attorney Welsh presented against Supik on July 28 while acting in his official capacity, the complaint notes.

According to the complaint, at the bottom of the letter, Supik also made a threat against an FBI agent from the Pittsburgh FBI office, threatening to have the Federal Building “dropped to the ground with 30 lbs of C4 plots.”

Based on the investigation, the following charges were filed against Supik through Magisterial District Judge Timothy P. Schill’s office on September 9, 2020:

– Retaliation Against Prosecutor or Judicial Official, Felony 2
– Stalking — Repeatedly Commit Acts To Cause Fear, Misdemeanor 1
– Terroristic Threats With Intent To Terrorize Another, Misdemeanor 1
– Harassment — Communicate Lewd, Threatening, Etc. Language, Misdemeanor 3

August 27, 2020

According to a fifth criminal complaint, on August 27, 2020, Chief Detective Peck was notified that Warden Sprankle of Clarion County Corrections had received another letter at the jail from Joseph Supik which included a letter addressed to Chief Peck.

In the letter, Supik reportedly made additional threats against District Attorney Welsh, stating he would “pound him 60 feet into the hard deep soil ground.”

He went on to make more specific and graphic threats involving several weapons and explosives. He also reportedly threatened to “blow” the district attorney’s office with “30 lbs of C4 plots.”

This was the third letter received from Supik involving threats to the District Attorney in three weeks following a preliminary hearing District Attorney Welsh presented against Supik on July 28 while acting in his official capacity where the District Attorney refused to offer a plea to Supik other than him pleading guilty to the charges.

Based on the investigation, the following charges were filed against Supik through Magisterial District Judge Timothy P. Schill’s office on September 9, 2020:

– Retaliation Against Prosecutor or Judicial Official, Felony 2
– Stalking — Repeatedly Commit Acts To Cause Fear, Misdemeanor 1
– Terroristic Threats With Intent To Terrorize Another, Misdemeanor 1
– Harassment — Communicate Lewd, Threatening, Etc. Language, Misdemeanor 3

ADDITIONAL CASES

Supik has a history of similar expletive-laden threatening letters toward officials in Clarion County, and currently remains lodged at SCI Huntingdon, serving six to 12 months confinement on each of three counts of first-degree misdemeanor terroristic threats related to previous cases.

Supik was also sentenced to an additional one to two years of confinement on one first-degree misdemeanor count of terroristic threats on June 29, 2020, in the Jefferson County Court of Common Pleas.

He is also awaiting a preliminary hearing on three first-degree misdemeanor counts of terroristic threats, two first-degree misdemeanor counts of possessing instruments of crime, and three third-degree misdemeanor counts of harassment related to an incident in Bucks County in June.

Another preliminary hearing for Supik, on two first-degree misdemeanor counts of terroristic threats and two third-degree misdemeanor counts of harassment related to an incident in Berks County is scheduled for August 31 at 10:30 a.m.

Supik also has multiple Common Pleas Court cases pending, including one involving terroristic threats and another involving aggravated assault in Somerset County, one involving terroristic threats in Forest County, one involving aggravated assault and terroristic threats in Cumberland County, one involving terroristic threats in Centre County, and three previous cases involving terroristic threats in Clarion County.

He is scheduled for a criminal conference with Clarion County District Attorney Drew Welsh on September 8 on terroristic threats, stalking, and related charges from an incident in April 2020 where allegedly sent threatening letters to local court officials and law enforcement.

Court documents indicate Supik has an extensive criminal history dating back to 2009, with convictions ranging from harassment to theft.

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