A former Lower Bucks County district judge who was released from federal prison not too long ago is headed back to a district courthouse. However this time, it will be as a defendant and not a judge.
Former District Judge John Waltman, 66, of Lower Southampton Township, was charged last week with three counts of DUI, and single counts of failure to keep right, disregarding traffic lane, failure to carry registration, and restrictions on alcoholic beverages. He was charged via summons and has a court date in March before District Judge Brian Marriott.
Northampton Township police filed the charges against Waltman after he was stopped by an officer on February 14 just before 2 a.m.
Waltman was sentenced in 2019 by a U.S. district court to several years in to federal prison and on supervised release. He had admitted to committing money laundering and Hobbs Act extortion under color of official. The FBI had arrested Waltman on charges he and others conspired to launder money for individuals they believed were engaged in drug trafficking and health care fraud.
According to court papers filed last week, a Northampton Township officer was on patrol on the early morning hours of February 14 when he spotted a pickup truck traveling along Bristol Road. The pickup truck failed to maintain its lane and was passing over the center and fog lines.
The Northampton Township officer stopped the pickup and came into contact with Waltman, who was driving. He denied having his registration and had a “strong odor of alcoholic beverage coming from his breath,” police said.
The officer noted in court papers that Waltman had slurred speech, had red and glassy eyes, and there was an open can of Coors Light in the center cup holder.
As additional officers arrived on the scene, Waltman reportedly told police that it was a “DUI checkpoint” and that he had only had “probably a beer” to drink.
“That’s it,” he allegedly said of his beer consumption.
The arresting officer wrote in court papers that the former district judge did field sobriety tests and appeared to be under the influence.
Waltman was transported to the Northampton Township police station and a Tri-Hampton Rescue Squad medic performed a blood draw around 2:35 a.m.
While awaiting for a ride from a friend, Waltman continued to smell of alcoholic beverage, was slurring his words, and kept asking the same questions, police said.
Waltman’s 2016 arrest and 2019 sentencing made headlines across the region.
At one time, Waltman was known in the lower end of the county as a Republican political power broker.
Former Lower Southampton Public Safety Director Robert Hoopes, of Doylestown, a former lawyer, and former Constable Bernard Rafferty, of Langhorne, were co-conspirators with the disgraced district judge. They both were sentenced to federal prison.
Former outdoor advertising executive Robert A. DeGoria, former credit union manager Kevin M. Biederman, and former attorney Michael Savona, who previously worked as the solicitor for Penndel Borough Council, pleaded guilty to offenses related to the investigation.
Editor’s Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The story was compiled using information from police and public court documents.
