WEST CHESTER — A former Chester County judge charged with using campaign contributions to gamble has pleaded guilty to theft and election code violations.
Former Magisterial District Judge Michael Cabry III had been charged by authorities with using money from his campaign finance account to feed a six-figure gambling habit at various casinos in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.
Cabry had served as a district judge in the county since 2000 and once headed the state’s Special Court Judges Association. He was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Martin G. Goch of West Goshen. His district court covered the Honey Brook area in the northwestern part of the county.
“The defendant has taken responsibility for his actions that undermined both his authority as a judge and the public’s trust,” said Attorney General Josh Shapiro. “My office is dedicated to holding public officials who break the law accountable, without fear or favor.”
Cabry, 60, of West Caln, was charged in October 2020 with repeatedly withdrawing funds donated to his reelection Political Action Committee (PAC) and using the funds to gamble at casinos in Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. He also used these funds to pay for personal expenses, including laundry services, groceries, and hotel stays. Cabry also failed to file his campaign finance reports for the period of time during which he was making these purchases.
In a criminal complaint filed by Special Agent Paul Dormer of the Attorney General’s Office, Cabry is alleged to have taken $4,000 in donations to his 2017 re-election campaign and used those funds while on gambling trips to Atlantic City, N.J., Harrisburg, and Dover, Del., among other locations.
The complaint stated that in total, Cabry wagered more than $110,700 in 2017, although because of a large win at Delaware Park of more than $100,000, his total loss for the year was slightly over $9,000. Still, the complaint filed by Dormer alleges that bank records review in the case show Cabry’s finances were “severely depleted” during the time he was gambling with his campaign money.
According to bank records, Cabry visited Delaware Park at least once a week throughout 2017, and sometimes more.
Cabry was first elected to the bench in 1999, and re-elected in 2005, 2011, and 2017, when he ran unopposed. Judges such as Cabry, who handle preliminary matters in criminal cases, motor vehicle and non-traffic citations, and small claims lawsuits, are paid $93,338 a year in salary.
Cabry has pleaded guilty to charges of theft by unlawful taking and violations of the Election Code. He was sentenced to 12 months probation. This case was heard before Senior Judge Stephen B. Lieberman. The case was prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Megan Madaffari.
