Jailing the Johnstown Judge: Joe O'Kicki, the Mob and Corrupt Justice

by Bruce J. Siwy

In 1988, Judge Joe O'Kicki was regarded by his peers as one of the most brilliant legal minds in the United States. He was newly re-married, sworn in as the president judge of a Pennsylvania county and on the fast track to a federal bench....



Silently, however, a state police vice unit was in the midst of covert operation into O'Kicki's personal affairs. The judge would be accused of soliciting bribes, frequenting brothels and running the county as if he were a "battleship commander." Later he'd concoct a plan to flee the country and exact revenge on his enemies.


Set in the aftermath of the 1977 Johnstown flood and including courtroom testimony, the memos of whistleblowers, contemporary interviews and excerpts from O'Kicki's unfinished tell-all memoir, "Jailing the Johnstown Judge" is a fresh examination of the extraordinary Western Pennsylvania case that attained international infamy.

146 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 10, 2022

Reviews

[Matt Hoover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite good, well researched, and informative on a bizarre chapter of local history; overall, an excellent treatment of the O'Kicki affair. Though, at times, the plot can be disjointed, Siwy does an excellent job of interviewing key figures and including the perspectives of those involved. The author shines a light on the alleged goings-on of local government and is exhaustive in his investigation of the many angles of the wild events surrounding Cambria County's fugitive judge. I am so happy to see books like this, Cody McDevitt's, Russell Shorto's, and Pat Farabaugh's highlighting, unearthing, and documenting the history of Johnstown.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book because I enjoy true crime and live about an hour from Johnstown. For such a small area, there are too many well-known criminals. It must be the water.

Don't read the book if you are expecting John Wick. It bounces around but gets there in the end.

And no, the Judge never gets jailed.

[James Donaldson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jailing the Johnstown Judge

This a great, insightful, informative read of the inside politics of where I was born and raised. Reading of places I've been and people that I knew or have heard of made the story more personable and enjoyable to read.

[Joe Valentine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read. Very informative.

[Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly intriguing and engaging story researched and told well from both sides of an interesting time in Pennsylvania history.

[Karen West · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being from Johnstown, I found this very informative. I have mixed feelings about his guilt.

[Justin]

We

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A must-read for Cambria County folk

[Lynsey Littleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not much has changed.