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Fourth official in Register of Wills case to get first-offender status

Register of Wills Barbara Reilly and two assistants have already pleaded giulty to more serious charges than First Deputy James McCullen faces.

James McCullen, the fourth official charged in the Bucks County Register of Wills corruption case, will accepted into the ARD program for first offenders, his  lawyer said Monday morning.

First Deputy McCullen is charged with lesser counts than the conspiracy, official oppression, tampering with records, and other crimes that Register of Wills Barbara Reilly and two other coworkers have pleaded guilty to. McCullen was charged with official oppression and conspiracy. Prosecutors say he didn't participate in most of the crimes, but he knew what was happening and didn't speak up.

"ARD is what we've been going  for all along," lawyer David Knight said.

A hearing for the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition is scheduled for this morning before Philadelphia Senior Judge John Braxton, who is handling the case because of the potential conflicts of interest of Bucks judges.