Former Pa. county DA convicted of official oppression for seizing Stop The Bleed kits from ambulances

By Jacob Geanous
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

GREENE COUNTY, Pa. — Former Greene County District Attorney David Russo was convicted Friday of official oppression for seizing emergency kits from county ambulances and locking them up in his office amid a personal feud with county officials.

A Fayette County judge found Russo guilty following three days of testimony regarding how Russo misused the power of his office to seize the “stop the bleed” kits from the ambulances.

| MORE: The impact of STOP THE BLEED

“This defendant took an oath to serve and protect citizens of Greene County as its highest-ranking law enforcement official, but instead abused that power to settle personal feuds,” Attorney General Dave Sunday said in a press release. “By having these kits illegally seized, the defendant left emergency responders with fewer tools to help residents.”

Russo served as Greene County District Attorney from 2020 to 2023, and wielded the power of his office in ways that clashed with other local officials.

During his tumultuous time as the county’s top prosecutor, Russo created his own SWAT team that was meant to answer only to him.

He directed his chief detective to launch criminal investigations into top elected officials and even filed charges against a county commission chairman, the solicitor and several emergency management officials.

Russo was arrested in October 2024 alongside his chief detective, Zachary Sams, on charges that alleged the duo carried out numerous acts of retribution against Russo’s political opponents.

Among those allegations, were charges that Sams executed a search warrant on the county’s 911 center, taking the “stop the bleed” kits to be used for the SWAT team that Russo was trying to create, despite opposition from county commissioners.

In connection with that incident, Russo has been convicted of official oppression — which carries a penalty of up to two years in prison — and has been released on bail.

He is set to be sentenced on Dec. 10.

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