Advertisement '93 drug conviction blocks McKeesport man from city council despite election Old drug conviction bars service on council Share Shares Copy Link Copy

A newly elected McKeesport councilman is barred from taking office because of a drug conviction from 23 years ago.Corry J. Sanders, 45, was elected to the McKeesport City Council in November. But now, a 1993 conviction on drug charges, for which Sanders served four years (1993-1997) puts his victory in jeopardy.VIDEO: Watch Beau Berman's reportThis, despite a clean record since 1997.Currently Sanders is married with four children, owns a barber shop in downtown McKeesport, and is a Deacon at a Pittsburgh church.After an anonymous complaint was lodged with the Allegheny County District Attorney's office, a letter was sent from the office to McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko.MORE: Read the letter from the Assistant DA The letter stated that because of Sanders' drug conviction on two felony counts, he "is constitutionally ineligible to hold public office."Sanders can only sit on the council, according to the DA's office, if he receives a full pardon from the governor.Sanders has hired an attorney to seek that pardon.But in the meantime, he showed up at Monday night's meeting and sat with the city council.This led to pandemonium in the chambers that included shouting and swearing from those on both sides of the issue.“Mr. Sanders was sworn in earlier because we were told by the magistrate that he would not be sworn in here tonight so he went to another judge and got sworn in earlier," said Fawn Walker-Montgomery.She explained that Sanders had unexpectedly visited a Pittsburgh judge who swore him in Monday, instead of waiting for a local McKeesport magistrate at the meeting.However, the city controller and other leaders continued to assert the Sanders was ineligible to participate in the meeting Monday.“We’ve done everything we can to try. Sir I’m speaking. In a civilized society you let someone finish speaking," said solicitor Jason Elash, speaking to a member of the crowd.Elash was convicted on DUI charges in the past yet still serves in public office.This was a sticking point for Walker-Montgomery, who mentioned it in the meeting and also brought up gambling charges against councilman Dan Carr. “There’s like five elected officials that law could have been used for, but you use it for Mr. Sanders, something that’s more than 20 years old?” said Walker-Montgomery.The meeting continued as a shouting match for several minutes.Walker-Montgomery accused councilwoman Jamie Filotei of swearing at her.Filotei denied swearing "at" Walker-Montgomery.“I feel like what she did was a classless act to publicly embarrass our city right now. It’s almost like she turned this into a circus," said Filotei.Filotei was referencing Walker-Montgomery's calls on social media for the community to show up Monday night and support Sanders.Filotei said those calls to action were too aggressive and confrontational instead of unifying.But Walker-Montgomery stood by her message.“Murders are unsolved. We can’t even salt our roads. Let’s focus on keeping the public safe, solving these murders, solving these homicides," said Walker-Montgomery.Monday's cancel meeting and meetings scheduled the rest of the week were all canceled.Sanders said he will continue to show up at future meetings and his supporters said they will too.“If it’s a fight they want, it’s a fight they’re gonna get. We’re gonna see to it that he sits in that seat," said Rhonda Moorer.Meanwhile, the District Attorney's office said it will petition for Sanders' removal in the Court of Common Pleas should he take office as a councilman."It is unfortunate that this situation has arisen given the fact that Mr. Sanders has put his past indiscretions behind him and, by all accounts, lived an exemplary life since then. Nonetheless, we are all called upon to uphold the Constitution and laws of Pennsylvania and must follow the law and procedures laid out for us. I am certain and satisfied that Mr. Sanders will one day be eligible to serve the people of McKeesport and I am sure that you, like me, look forward to that day," wrote Assistant District Attorney Kevin McCarthy.John Fetterman, mayor of the nearby borough of Braddock, released a statement Tuesday calling on the governor to issue a pardon for Sanders. He said a drug conviction shouldn't "banish one for life from participating in our democracy."On Tuesday, Sanders said he's aware that any pardon by the governor would first have to come after the recommendation from the state's five person board of pardons.However, Sanders also said he's been told that normally five-year-long process could be expedited and that he could be pardoned within the news months, weeks, or even days.Meanwhile, according to judicial records, Sanders owes more than $35,000 in court restitution costs.Sanders said Tuesday that those costs were unjustly ordered and that the statue of limitations has expired.He added that his attorney included information about those costs in the sealed paperwork sent to Harrisburg for his pardon request.“This is bigger than Corry Sanders. This is opening doors for other people out there who may be traveling into a storm that I’ve passed through," said Sanders.