A former interim vice president at Bucks County Community College, who is accused of breaking in to Central Bucks West High School and the National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa, has been accepted into a special probationary program in Bucks County that allows eligible defendants to have their criminal records expunged upon successful completion.
Albert McLaughlin III, 47, of Doylestown, was approved for participation in the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program during a Jan. 8 court appearance before Bucks County Court of Common Pleas Judge Raymond McHugh, according to court records.
The Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition, commonly known as ARD, is a pretrial diversion program available to first-time, nonviolent offenders. Acceptance into the program is not an admission of guilt under Pennsylvania law. If a participant successfully completes all program requirements, the underlying criminal charges are dismissed and the individual is eligible to have the records expunged.
As part of the court-ordered conditions, McLaughlin was directed to repay $17,499 in restitution, undergo a mental health evaluation, complete 10 hours of community service, and comply with stay-away provisions from specified locations.
Court records show that failure to complete the ARD program would result in the reinstatement of all original charges.
McLaughlin was charged with criminal mischief and criminal trespassing by the New Britain Township Police Department for the Czestochowa incident.
According to an affidavit, police found McLaughlin in early August inside the basement of the Catholic shrine, where he allegedly damaged a fire safety system.
The damage to the Catholic religious shrine was reportedly valued by authorities at $8,000.
The charges follow an incident on Aug. 3 when the Central Bucks Regional Police Department accused McLaughlin of breaking into Central Bucks West High School in Doylestown Borough, where he allegedly took a shower and then stole food and clothing, which was all captured on video surveillance.
Bucks County Community College fired McLaughlin after his initial arrest.
College spokesperson Dan Kanak said McLaughlin served as the interim vice president for enrollment management from July 14 to Aug. 7.
“He was hired through normal procedures, which included standard background checks and professional references,” Kanak said.
According to his LinkedIn page, McLaughlin’s professional background includes roles as a campus president for DeVry University and FORTIS College and Institutes. He also worked as a performance coach for a plumbing and HVAC business and as an operations director for an education company. His LinkedIn profile describes him as a “transformative leader” with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and corrections from the University of Pittsburgh and an MBA from DeVry University.
In the high school case, McLaughlin was charged with burglary, defiant trespassing, theft, and receiving stolen property, per court records. McLaughlin had been held at the Bucks County Correctional Facility unable to post bail on 10% of $50,000 cash, per court documents.
Court officials said ARD is intended to promote rehabilitation while reducing long-term consequences for eligible defendants, particularly when conditions of supervision are successfully met.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
