The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Brian Buglio, 46, of Lattimer Mines, was sentenced by U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph F. Saporito Jr. to two months of imprisonment and a one-year term of supervised release that includes four months of home confinement.

According to Acting U.S. Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Buglio, the former chief of police for the West Hazleton Police Department, pleaded guilty to a deprivation of civil rights after he threatened a private citizen with felony criminal charges in retaliation for social media posts created by the private citizen that were critical of Buglio and of the West Hazleton Police Department.

In pronouncing the sentence, Saporito deemed Buglio’s actions an “abuse of power” when he threatened to use the criminal justice system to further his own personal interests. In addition to the term of imprisonment and supervised release, Judge Saporito also ordered Buglio to pay a $5,000 fine.