A Martic Township man is charged with illegally recording last month at the Lancaster County Courthouse.
Melvin C. Hartman, of Nissley Lane, is charged with felony counts of interception of communications and criminal attempt regarding a Sept. 21 visit to the courthouse at 50 North Duke Street.
Hartman is charged with bringing a pen, actually a recording device, into the courthouse that day and recording audio and video at prohibited locations of the courthouse.
Lancaster County Detective Joanne Resh filed the charges and arrested Hartman when he returned to the courthouse on Oct. 12.
Recording audio and video is prohibited at many areas of the courthouse, per President Judge Dennis Reinaker’s order, which went into effect Jan. 9, 2017.
Lancaster County deputy sheriffs, who secure the courthouse/courtrooms, contacted Resh on Sept. 21 about the suspected recording device. Hartman acknowledged it was a recording device.
Detective Resh obtained the pen via search warrant. The Lancaster County Computer Crimes unit examined the contents and found recordings of a bailiff and other people on the fourth floor of the courthouse, where courtrooms are located.
At arraignment on Oct. 12, Hartman was remanded to Lancaster County Prison on $20,000 bail.
Hartman is presumed innocent.
MEDIA CONTACT: Brett A. Hambright, 717-295-2041; bhambright@co.lancaster.pa.us; Twitter: @BrettHambright
