The District Attorney’s Office is organized into various Units specializing in different types of crimes and areas of criminal law. The following is a description of each of the Units in the office:
Drug, Gang and Gun Unit
Under the leadership of District Attorney Brian Gallagher, the Drug, Gang and Gun Unit is a vital component of the Lackawanna County District Attorney's Office's commitment to community safety. Recognizing the serious threat posed by gang violence and illegal firearms, DA Gallagher has made the reduction of gang-related crime the number one priority of his administration. Supported in part by the federal Gang and Gun Reduction and Intelligence Project (GGRIP), this specialized Unit works in close partnership with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. Through focused investigations, intelligence gathering, and proactive enforcement, the Drug, Gang and Gun Unit strives to dismantle criminal organizations and remove illegal drugs and firearms from our streets, fostering a safer environment for all residents of Lackawanna County.
Narcotics Unit
The Narcotics Unit focuses on investigating and prosecuting all criminal cases involving controlled substances, including drug-trafficking, delivery, and possession. Under District Attorney Brian Gallagher’s leadership, the Unit collaborates with a specialized detective team dedicated to identifying and arresting drug traffickers. The Unit consists of four full-time detectives and a drug-detecting K9 officer. The DA’s Office also oversees the Lackawanna United Drug Enforcement Task Force, a collaborative network of specially trained officers from the Scranton Police Department and various Lackawanna County municipalities. Operating under the District Attorney’s authority, LUDET officers conduct investigations into street-level drug trafficking throughout Lackawanna County.
Special Victims Unit
The Special Victims Unit, under District Attorney Brian Gallagher’s leadership, is staffed by specialized prosecutors and law enforcement officers who understand the complexities of sexual assault and child abuse. The SVU is dedicated to breaking the cycle of sexual assault and enhancing the prosecution of crimes involving sexual violence. The SVU includes three prosecutors, a victim’s advocate, and two full-time county detectives, along with an additional detective focused on technology-based crimes against children and digital evidence recovery. The Unit prosecutes cases of child abuse and neglect, sexual and physical assault, child exploitation and pornography, as well as the apprehension of online predators. SVU investigators actively participate in a nationwide Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, collaborating with other law enforcement agencies and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to arrest and prosecute those involved in the online exploitation of children.
The Unit employs a multidisciplinary approach to investigating and prosecuting child abuse cases, partnering with the Lackawanna County Office of Youth and Family Services and various social service agencies, including the Children’s Advocacy Center of Northeastern Pennsylvania. The Unit also provides specialized training to law enforcement officers, educators, and other professionals to recognize the indicators of abuse. The Children’s Advocacy Center, staffed by pediatric medical professionals, forensic interviewers, and victim service advocates who work in conjunction with the SVU, is a valuable asset to the District Attorney’s Office in preventing and prosecuting child abuse.
If you suspect a child is being abused, please call the 24-hour Childline at (800) 932-0313 or visit the ChildLine website. For more information, contact the Special Victims Unit at (570) 963-6717.
Elder Abuse Unit
The Elder Abuse Unit, under the direction of District Attorney Brian Gallagher, is dedicated to protecting Lackawanna County residents aged 60 and older from abuse and exploitation. The Unit investigates and prosecutes all forms of elder abuse, including scams, financial exploitation, physical abuse and neglect. The unit’s prosecutors and detectives collaborate closely with the Lackawanna County Area Agency on Aging and other community partners, such as other law enforcement agencies, healthcare providers, nursing home facilities, and financial institutions, to ensure the safety and protection of our older citizens.
Prosecutors and detectives within the Elder Abuse Unit have received extensive training in this specialized area and have established a countywide protocol for managing elder abuse cases in collaboration with other community agencies. They also conduct educational presentations for the community and provide training for local law enforcement and social service agencies on identifying and reporting elder abuse.
To report a case of elder abuse, please contact your local police department or the Lackawanna County Area Agency on Aging at (570) 963-6707.
Domestic Violence Unit
The Domestic Violence Unit was established to address family violence within our community. Under the leadership of District Attorney Brian Gallagher, the Unit is staffed by two specially trained prosecutors, a domestic violence coordinator, a victim witness advocate, and a support staff member. The primary goal of the Domestic Violence Unit is to treat domestic and family violence as a crime and ensure the safety of victims and children affected by it.
The Unit’s prosecutors are committed to the professional and comprehensive investigation and prosecution of family violence cases, with a strong emphasis on victim safety and holding offenders accountable. Working in partnership with local police departments and the Pennsylvania State Police, each case is thoroughly reviewed by the Unit’s prosecutors to ensure a complete investigation and successful prosecution.
The Unit also provides assistance to victims with lethality assessments, temporary safe housing, comprehensive protection from abuse orders (PFAs), trauma counseling services, and batterer accountability through referrals to intervention programs.
Recognizing the necessity of a multidisciplinary approach to domestic and family violence, the Lackawanna County Domestic Violence Task Force was formed to develop a countywide Domestic Violence Protocol. This task force is a collaborative effort involving the DA’s Office, Women's Resource Center, Northeast Legal Services, Area Agency on Aging, Office of Youth & Family Services, and local probation and parole departments. The main purpose of the protocol is to establish guidelines for police officers and other personnel responding to domestic violence calls.
To report emergency domestic and family violence, call 911. Police will ensure your immediate safety and help you and your children to leave the house safely, arrest the abuser if there is probable cause of assault or a PFA violation, and inform you of available shelter. For non-emergencies, contact the Women's Resource Center at (570) 346-4671 or visit wrcnepa.org for more information.
DUI/Homicide by Motor Vehicle Unit
Under the direction of District Attorney Brian Gallagher, the DUI/Homicide by Motor Vehicle Unit specializes in the investigation and prosecution of driving under the influence and vehicular crashes resulting in serious bodily injury or death. This is achieved through the expertise of prosecutors specifically trained to handle all aspects of these highly technical crimes.
The Unit consists of two prosecutors, an administrative assistant, and the DUI Processing Center Coordinator. It is responsible for prosecuting approximately 650 DUI cases annually, many involving serious injury or fatality. The Unit is focused on achieving five critical objectives:
- Protecting our communities and citizens
- Strongly advocating for the victims of vehicular crimes
- Ensuring offender accountability
- Reducing recidivism through treatment and rehabilitation
- Employing proactive enforcement to increase awareness of the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs
The DUI/Homicide by Motor Vehicle Unit achieves these goals through a collaborative team approach to investigating, preparing, and prosecuting these cases. The Unit’s prosecutors work with all municipal police departments in Lackawanna County, as well as the Pennsylvania State Police, to reconstruct fatal crash scenes and gather evidence. Prosecutors are available 24/7 and often respond to serious crash scenes at all hours to assist officers in their investigations and ensure effective prosecution of these critical crimes.
The DUI Processing Center, located in the Lackawanna County Courthouse, operates throughout the week and on weekends to assist local police departments with processing DUI offenders. This Center is a vital resource that ensures uniform processing of all offenders and allows local officers to quickly return to their primary patrol duties.
The DUI/Homicide by Motor Vehicle Unit coordinates and oversees sobriety checkpoints and roving patrols with near-perfect participation from every municipality in the county. Checkpoints serve to deter drinking and driving and increase public awareness of its dangers. Roving patrols involve increased patrols conducted randomly throughout Lackawanna County designed to catch impaired drivers and enforce DUI laws. These tools have been essential in furthering the goals of the District Attorney’s Office and have led to numerous arrests, successful prosecutions, and, most importantly, lives saved.
Auto Theft Unit
The Auto Theft Unit, under the leadership of District Attorney Brian Gallagher, collaborates with the Northeastern Pennsylvania Fraud Task Force, which was established with funding from the Pennsylvania Legislature. The Task Force conducts numerous training sessions to ensure that all police departments remain informed about new and emerging trends in vehicle thefts. It works closely with all local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to aggressively investigate and prosecute anyone involved in auto theft. The Task Force includes a special prosecutor, along with several county detectives and Pennsylvania State Police, and covers Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wyoming, Monroe, Pike, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Bradford, Carbon, Columbia, and Wayne counties.
Insurance Fraud Unit
Under District Attorney Brian Gallagher, the Insurance Fraud Unit works in conjunction with the Northeastern Pennsylvania Fraud Task Force to aggressively investigate and prosecute individuals and corporations that commit insurance fraud. The Task Force, comprised of three detectives and a special prosecutor, collaborates to identify and investigate cases in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Wyoming, Monroe, Pike, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Bradford, Carbon, Columbia, and Wayne counties. It works closely with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, insurance company investigative units, and private citizens to help identify and prosecute anyone involved in insurance fraud.
Victim Witness Unit
Each year, hundreds of people in Lackawanna County experience the physical, psychological, and financial impact of crime. The Victim Witness Unit, under the supervision of District Attorney Brian Gallagher, provides crucial support to these individuals as they navigate the Criminal Justice System.
The Unit’s three full-time victim advocates offer services including:
- Orientation to the criminal justice system.
- Accompaniment to all court proceedings.
- Accompaniment to police facilities.
- Information and referral to appropriate social service agencies.
- Information and assistance with the Crime Victim's Compensation Fund.
- Updates on case status.
- Intervention with employers, creditors, and schools.
- Assistance in securing restitution.
- Notification of all court dates.
These vital services are provided free of charge to all crime victims in Lackawanna County.
The PA Statewide Automated Victim Information and Notification and VINELink systems are free, confidential services from the PA Department of Corrections and U.S. Department of Homeland Security. They provide real-time updates on the custody status of inmates in county, state and federal prisons, parolees, and release, transfer, or escape information.
Trauma Services Unit
District Attorney Brian Gallagher’s Trauma Services Unit offers 24-hour comprehensive assistance to victims of violent crime. Under his supervision, the Unit provides direct services to victims, consults with law enforcement officers on specific case needs, assists with death notifications, and offers ongoing support for victims and their families. The Unit’s goal is to lessen the negative impacts of crime and violence by helping those affected understand and process their trauma, develop healthy coping strategies, and move toward healing. These confidential services are always free.
Appellate Unit
The Appellate Unit, under the leadership of District Attorney Brian Gallagher, represents the interests of the Commonwealth and its residents in appeals from the Court of Common Pleas to state and federal appellate courts, including the Superior and Supreme Courts of Pennsylvania, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and the Supreme Court of the United States.
The Unit’s purpose is to ensure that justice is served for those already involved in the criminal justice system. Its responsibilities involve making arguments to appellate courts to uphold rulings of lower court judges and enforce the actions of prosecutors and law enforcement. This process involves thorough legal research, drafting briefs and motions, and presenting oral arguments before appellate courts. The Appellate Unit also appeals lower court rulings when the District Attorney believes an injustice has occurred.