Walls charges settled out of court

Pre-trial agreement resolves charges against Shohola officials

Published Jun 19, 2012 at 6:57 pm (Updated Jun 19, 2012)

MILFORD � Pike County District Attorney Ray Tonkin Tuesday revealed a pre-trial agreement that resolved a series of charges against Eleanore Wall and her husband, Donald Wall.

The agreement filed in Pike County Court on Monday June 18, required Eleanore Wall and Donald Wall to pay to Shohola Township $ 7,500 in restitution, and for Eleanore "Nelia" Wall to resign her position as Township Supervisor.

Once the Walls complied with those terms of the agreement, District Attorney Tonkin filed a document to withdraw the charges filed by criminal complaint in January of this year.

Tonkin said he was satisfied that the agreement brought back almost three times the amount of monies alleged to have been unlawfully removed from the Shohola Township treasury, and will hopefully allow the Township to move forward in a positive manner for all the citizens of the Township.

Tonkin also commended the grand jury which investigated this matter and issued a presentment, which documented how Township business was previously handled in Shohola Township. Tonkin commented: "The grand jury took this matter very seriously, and without the presentment the citizens of Shohola Township would not have had an independent investigation to document the facts surrounding certain allegations of improprieties happening in township offices."

Then Shohola Township Supervisor Eleanore "Nelia" Wall and her husband, former township zoning enforcement officer and fire department chief Donald Wall were each facing multiple felony and misdemeanor charges following their Jan. 18 araignment in county court.

They were then each released on $25,000 unsecured bail.

Charges were recommended following a lengthy Pike County Grand Jury investigation.

The Walls, supervisor and zoning officer were charged with multiple felonies in conspiring to direct business to their landscaping business via the township�s zoning permitting process. They were also charged theft of some $2,600 in township funds and conspiracy in padding Donald Walls� hours and mileage as zoning officer.

Donald Wall was further charged with 14 counts of tampering with public records.