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A former Williamsport police lieutenant and a drug task force coordinator was hired as the next Lycoming County chief detective to oversee an office of more than a dozen staff members. Others, including former U.S. Attorney Bill Simmers and former assistant DA Roan Confer, will be joining the team as well.
Thomas H. Ungard Jr., 58, was recommended for the job by incoming District Attorney Tom Marino, who said he asked District Attorney Ryan C. Gardner to hire Ungard for the top detective job. Commissioners approved the hiring on Dec. 8, with Ungard starting on Dec. 11 for a salary of about $71,000.
"Tom is one of the smartest people I know," Marino said. He completed a two and a half hour test as part of state requirements.
Ungard was lauded by Marino for his being former coordinator of a drug task force that was dedicated to removing narcotics and stolen and illegally-used guns off city and municipal streets.
"He's incredibly loyal," Marino said. "He will go to the mat and take a bullet for me."
Ungard was coordinator of the county drug task force when he was charged in 2007 after a statewide grand jury probe. The charges stemmed from the alleged use of a forfeited pickup truck to travel with a former city police chief on a fishing trip in Canada.
"I think he was railroaded," Marino said. "He fought those charges and worked to get his record expunged."
"Ungard will be able to offer his years of experience and that includes training, especially the younger detectives," Marino said.
Ungard, he said, will ensure no undercover cop goes on the street unless he or she knows what they are doing.
Ungard was said to have a "heart of gold," and will sit down to explain directives and treat people with respect, according to Marino.
Among the issues the district attorney vowed to tackle are the crimes related to fentanyl, which is pouring across the border and entering cities at an alarming rate.
Marino said, as district attorney, one goal will be to find out who the dealers are getting the drugs from and, if there is a death caused by use of the drugs, that will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and considered a homicide.
Marino added that his office has at least three homicide cases that are likely to go to trial.
He also wanted to help those who need mental health assistance by continuing to work closely with the existing mental health court and to focus on helping to identify these individuals who are left on the streets to fend for themselves.
Marino confirmed in an interview that he brought back Simmers, who was an attorney in the U.S. Middle District Court and a former assistant district attorney and Confer, as part of his team.
"I am trying to free up attorneys to work on cases in preparation for trials," Marino said.
As he reviews the court schedule and builds his team, Marino looks forward to a seamless transition.
Every day, one attorney must work on preliminary hearings and juvenile cases, which overlap, he said.
"This will give one less thing the assistant district attorney needs to be concerned about," he said.
Despite serving in the U.S. House of Representatives and as a strong advocate for former president and current presidential candidate, Donald J. Trump, Marino said politics will not be discussed in his role as district attorney.
He said he appreciated Republican and a number of Democratic voters who put their faith and trust in him as the county's district attorney.