A controversial former police chief of a Schuylkill County borough is back in the new again - this time cited for unsworn falsification in applying to purchase a firearm.

Mark Anthony Kessler, 45, of Frackville, was charged by state police at Frackville on Friday. He was arraigned before District Judge David Plachko, of Port Carbon, and released on $10,000 unsecured bail.Troopers said Kessler attempted to purchase a firearm at Dunham's Store in the Schuylkill Mall on May 5. Prior to the purchase he completed paperwork as part of a background check associated with the purchase. At that time the transaction was denied and no sale made.Following the transaction troopers were assigned to conduct a follow up investigation into the transaction.In 2013 Kessler, who was then chief of police in the borough of Gilberton, became a national figure when videos of him went viral showing him shouting a stream of profanity, punctuated by bursts from a variety of automatic weapons, daring authorities to come and confiscate his guns.In July 2013 the borough suspended him without pay and on Sept. 19, 2013, the council fired him. On Feb. 20, 2014, he settled with the borough for $30,000, agreeing to leave his post as police chief and stay away from public borough meetings.Then in December 2014 he claimed that those videos were aimed at luring extremists out from under cover and into the sights of federal law enforcement agencies. In an interview with the Associated Press at the time Kessler said, "I didn't get the blessing to do it. I got the idea, on my own, to release the videos, and they were over-the-top."No federal agency ever confirmed Kessler's claims.Troopers said the current case remains open pending a preliminary hearing.