Pa. Deputy Sheriff Accused of Lewdness

A deputy sheriff was suspended without pay for allegedly sending his neighbor a nude picture of himself and sending her messages saying he was naked in her yard, authorities said.

Anthony Fritz, 31, was suspended from the Dauphin County Sheriff's Office on March 23, when he was charged with stalking, open lewdness and two counts of harassment, county Sheriff Jack Lotwick said.

The woman, who lives across the street from Fritz in Highspire, told investigators Fritz began sending her sexually suggestive text messages from his cell phone in February, police said. She ignored them, hoping he would stop, but he continued sending her messages, "and their content got worse," police said.

On Feb. 9, he e-mailed her a photo of himself naked, police said. On March 4 and 5, he allegedly sent her text messages saying that he was behind her home naked.

Fritz has an unlisted telephone number and could not be reached for comment Thursday. His attorney, Jerry Russo, did not return a telephone message left Thursday afternoon.

None of the alleged offenses occurred while Fritz was on duty, Lotwick said.

Fritz was informed of the charges by mail and is awaiting a preliminary hearing, Dauphin County District Attorney Edward M. Marsico Jr. said Thursday.

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