Convicted Murderer Appointed To Montco Prison Board Faces New Charges

NORRISTOWN, PA — A man who was convicted of murder as a teenager, released 32 years later, and named to a position on Montgomery County's Prison Board in 2022, is now facing new charges after police said he stole money from a COVID-19 relief fund.

Vernon Steed, 55, of Upper Gwynedd, stole $95,000 from a rental assistance program through Your Way Home, according to authorities. Police said he applied for funds using other names, or on behalf of other people, and pocketed the money that was allocated to them.

He faces numerous charges, including forgery, identity theft, and theft by deception.

Steed's appointment in June 2022 was a minor political controversy, with Montgomery County Commissioner's Chair at the time, Val Arkoosh, praising Steed for "lived experience." Commissioner Joe Gale voted against the appointment, saying “I would just like to point out the lived experience that this individual brings is 32 years in state prison for murder."

Steed resigned his post in mid-April, county officials confirmed.

In his role on the county's Prison Board of Inspectors, Steed worked with recently released inmates on re-entry programs to help them get reaccustomed to everyday life in society. His story was hailed as an example of redemption and he was even featured on radio shows.

Steed was 17 in 1988 when he was convicted of shooting and killing an instant bystander during a confrontation in Philadelphia, according to court documents.

Steed is currently being held in Berks County Prison but will be transferred to Montgomery County Correctional Facility. Bail is set at $99,000, and a preliminary hearing is fortchoming.