Delco Man Bribed Constables For Mariner Pipeline Security: DA

DELAWARE COUNTY, PA — A Delaware County man is one of several charged recently in connection with the Marine East Pipeline project, according to Chester County authorities.

The Chester County District Attorney's Office said Frank Recknagel, 59, of Havertown, was arrested and charged for allegedly hiring Pennsylvania State Constables to act as security for the pipeline project in Chester County.

Recknagel is facing 101 counts of various versions of conspiracy charges, including conspiring to commit bribery, conflict of interest, Ethics Act violations, and other crimes related to hiring constables Michael Robel and Kareem Johnson. Robel and Johnson are facing numerous charges, including official oppression, Ethics Act violations, and bribery.

According to the DA's office, Recknagel is the security director for the pipeline project by Sunoco, while employed by Energy Transfer, which has control over the Mariner project.

In that role, he allegedly conspired to bribe Robel and Johnson to act as security for a pipeline worksite on Lisa Drive in West Whiteland Township.

The appearance of armed guards at the site led to concerned residents, and subsequently and investigation and charges.

Recknagel is accused of paying for Robel and Johnson's work as security through subcontractors, which authorities allege was done to hide the company's role in bringing the constables on to the project.

Energy Transfer said in a statement to Patch that the charges are meritless and that the company stands by Recknagel

"We believe that these charges do not have any merit and find it troubling that District Attorney Tom Hogan would proceed with charges that we are confident will not stand, creating far-reaching impacts for this employee and his family," the statement reads. "The Pennsylvania constables in question were hired by an independent, Pennsylvania-based security firm to support the West Whiteland Police Department in its efforts to maintain peace within the community. Local law enforcement never expressed any objection to this security plan when it was discussed and implemented. To now characterize the hiring of Pennsylvania constables as somehow intentionally unlawful is extremely troubling, not only for the individual charged, but also for the community that benefited from the presence of trained security."

Also charged in connection with the security investigation are Nikolas McKinnon, Senior Security Adviser for TigerSwan LLC; Michael Boffo, Site Security Supervisor for TigerSwan LLC; James Murphy, operator of Raven Knights LLC; and Richard Lester, registered owner of Raven Knights LLC.

Recknagel was arrested Dec. 3 and is awaiting his preliminary arraignment, authorities said.

He and the others were released on unsecured bail, the DA's office said.

See our latest coverage of the Mariner East saga in Chester County below:

• Sunoco's Armed Guards Turn Back Public At Pipeline Sinkhole: DA
• New Sinkhole Opens Up Along Mariner East 1 In Chester County
• Pipeline Worker's Comments To Chester Co. Resident Investigated
• New Legislation Aims To Improve Pipeline Safety Near Schools
• Criminal Investigation Opened Into Sunoco, Chester Co. Pipelines
• Funded By Sunoco Fine, Chesco Gets $1.8 Million For Conservation
• Sunoco Fined $12.6 Million For Mariner East 2 Violations
• Battle Against Sunoco Pipeline Is David v. Goliath, Lawmaker Says