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WILKES-BARRE — A father who accused Luzerne County Children and Youth of wanting to take his daughter away was indicted this week for allegedly stalking and threatening two employees before fire-bombing the agency’s offices.

Philip Finn Jr., 47, of Plains Township, was indicted by a federal grand jury for stalking, making threats and causing malicious damage to federal property by fire, federal prosecutors announced Friday.

According to the indictment unsealed following an initial court appearance Friday, Finn used his cell phone to look up the employees’ addresses — at one point driving to one’s home — and Googled “best way to threaten someone,” “clever threats” and “how to threaten someone effectively” before damaging the building with three Molotov cocktails March 6. The alleged attack took place at about 5:30 a.m.

The fire that resulted was quickly extinguished by a sprinkler system, officials said.

The Pennsylvania Avenue building that was targeted contains offices for the county’s Human Services Division, including Children and Youth, drug and alcohol programs, and Mental Health and Developmental Services. The Area Agency on Aging for Luzerne and Wyoming counties is also located there.

The indictment names the employees targeted by Finn’s threats as “Victim #1” and “Victim #2.” But an affidavit from charges local authorities filed March 17 identifies them as Children and Youth Executive Director Joanne Van Saun and caseworker Heather Batchler.

According to that affidavit:

Finn accused the agency of trying to take his 8-year-old daughter away from him when two caseworkers served him with a summons at his Abbott Street residence March 3. He asked the caseworkers if Van Saun was still agency director and said he previously had problems with her before adding: “I’m going to take care of her, and I mean take care of her. I’m going to settle this.”

He then proceeded to “berate” Batchler, the caseworker assigned to his case. Finn said he was researching her and her family on Facebook, knows where they live and will find out where they live if he has the wrong address.

Finn brought his daughter to the door and told her the caseworkers were going to take her away and put her in foster care. When one caseworker tried to explain his presence at a future hearing was important, he looked at his daughter and said, “Maybe I will get to use that new assault rifle I have.”

He told the workers he doesn’t care if they tell the agency everything he said and that he would “protect his daughter no matter what.” He described the agency as “a bunch of child predators” and indicated he was “just protecting his daughter.”

The workers left the residence and reported the incident to their supervisor before filing a report with Plains Township police.

Over the next two days, multiple messages were sent from a Facebook account publicly identified as Finn’s to Laing Batchler, Heather Batchler’s ex-husband.

In the profanity-laden messages, Finn expressed an “urgent demand” to speak with the caseworker and go to her residence.

“I already have all information about you and your children … If she continues to try to harm my 8 year old daughter which she already has … You can use your imagination,” one message states.

When Finn was interviewed by investigators March 6, he admitted he said in front of his daughter “he was happy that he recently purchased an assault rifle and that he might get to use it” to the caseworkers who visited his home.

During a search of his vehicle that day, investigators found a handwritten note containing addresses and other private information of several Children and Youth workers, including Van Saun and Batchler.

Finn has been jailed since his arrest on the local charges in March.

He faces a maximum of 30 years in prison, prosecutors said.

The rear of a building on Pennsylvania Avenue in Wilkes-Barre that houses Luzerne County Children and Youth offices is shown roped off as a crime scene after an alleged fire bombing in March.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/web1_web1_TTL030617CandY1-18-2.jpg.optimal.jpgThe rear of a building on Pennsylvania Avenue in Wilkes-Barre that houses Luzerne County Children and Youth offices is shown roped off as a crime scene after an alleged fire bombing in March. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader

Finn
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/web1_FINN-PHILIP-1.jpg.optimal.jpgFinn Aimee Dilger | Times Leader

By Joe Dolinsky

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Reach Joe Dolinsky at 570-991-6110 or on Twitter @JoeDolinskyTL