Ex-Judge Waltman Facing New Charges In Lower Bucks

LOWER BUCKS COUNTY, PA —A former Lower Bucks County judge, who served in federal prison for money laundering, is now going back to court later this month for a drunken driving charge.

John Ivan Waltman, 66, of Lower Southampton Township, was charged via summons after being stopped by Northampton Township Police on Feb. 14, court records state.

He faces charges of three counts of DUI, and single counts of failure to keep right, disregarding traffic lane, failure to carry registration, and restrictions on alcoholic beverages.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled before District Judge Brian Marriott at 3:30 p.m. on March 21 in Northampton Township.

U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain sentenced the Trevose resident to 78 months in federal prison in 2019 after Waltman pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering and Hobbs Act Extortion Under Color of Official Right.

Waltman had been involved in local politics for decades. He was the former chairman of the Lower Southampton Republican Committee. He also was the longtime elected state constable before he was appointed to take over as Lower Southampton’s district judge after his sister, Susan McEwen, retired, a previous Patch story reported.

From 2011 to December 2016, Waltman served as a Magisterial District Judge in Lower Southampton Township.

Together with his co-defendants Bernard Rafferty and Robert Hoopes, Waltman participated in a scheme to extort bribes and kickbacks from Bucks County businessmen, federal authorities said.

They also conspired to launder money for individuals they believed were engaged in narcotics trafficking and health care fraud.

For example, in November 2016, Waltman, Hoopes, and Rafferty accepted a bribe of $1,000, as well as the promise of other fees, in exchange for Waltman, Hoopes, and Rafferty to use their positions as public officials to “fix” a traffic case before Waltman in Bucks County Magisterial District Court.

In addition, from June 2015 to November 2016, Waltman, Hoopes, and Rafferty conspired to launder funds represented to be proceeds from healthcare fraud, illegal drug trafficking, and bank fraud.

From June 2016 to August 2016, Waltman, Hoopes, and Rafferty laundered $400,000 in cash, represented to be proceeds from healthcare fraud and illegal drug trafficking, and took money laundering fees totaling $80,000 in cash, federal authorities said.