Ex-Steelers lineman indicted for arson, fraud, perjury
Former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Terry L. Long set fire to his North Side poultry-processing plant in a scheme to collect $1.19 million in insurance and fraudulently obtained $1.17 million in state loans and grants, according to a federal indictment unsealed Tuesday.
Long, 45, of Sewickley, surrendered to federal authorities yesterday and appeared briefly before U.S. Magistrate Amy Reynolds Hay, who ordered him released on a $10,000 secured bond.
Long was then taken to the Allegheny County Jail and was scheduled to be arraigned in Night Court on charges of being a fugitive from justice for failure to appear for a hearing in Missouri where he is accused of passing a bad check.
The eight-count federal indictment, handed down March 23, charges Long with mail fraud and malicious destruction of property by fire in connection with his variously named food-processing businesses. One of them, Terry Long Enterprises Inc., filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection yesterday.
The indictment alleges that Long caused the early morning fire on Sept. 25, 2003, at his Value Added Foods processing plant on the 1000 block of Galveston Avenue.
"I can't comment on how the fire started or whether other individuals were involved," said U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan.
Investigators immediately determined that the fire was intentionally set, but it took auditors more than 18 months to learn the financial motive, said Jim Tanda, the supervisory special agent of the Pittsburgh office of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Tanda declined to provide details.
The indictment states that Long submitted false and fraudulent documents to the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development in connection with applications for business loans.
As a result, Long fraudulently received loans from the state for $674,319 and $500,000 in 2003. The loans were supposed to pay the costs of acquisition, construction and renovation at his poultry-processing plant.
Long also is accused of defrauding Pennsylvania's Office of Vocational Rehabilitation and Amoore Health Systems, a human-resources-management firm based in Montgomery County, by submitting false bid documents to receive a $75,000 grant in January 2003 to buy food-processing equipment.
The indictment further states that Long, while under oath, falsely claimed on Oct. 22, 2003, that he did not know who was responsible for setting the fire, and that he had never discussed having a fire intentionally set at the processing plant.
Penn National Insurance Co. issued nine checks totaling $1.19 million to Long to cover damage caused by the fire. The last check was issued in January.
Long, who faces as long as 55 years in prison and a fine of as much as $2 million if convicted of the charges, appeared disheveled during his appearance before Hay.
Long, wearing a blue T-shirt and nylon warm-up pants, said, "Yes, ma'am" or "No, ma'am" in response to many of the questions Hay asked him in an attempt to determine whether he had the financial resources to pay for a lawyer.
Long said he owned his residence in Sewickley, but tapped out all the equity to secure a loan. He said that in the past six months, his businesses have eked out $6,000 in profits. Yesterday, Long said he had about $750 in his checking account and $300 in his pocket.
After Long surrendered to federal authorities yesterday, he was informed that a warrant had been issued for his arrest by the Jackson County Sheriff's Office in Kansas City for failure to appear for a hearing on charges of passing a bad check.
He is charged with passing a bad check of $500 or more and having no bank account or insufficient funds, according to a criminal complaint supporting the fugitive from justice charge.
Yesterday's developments are the latest in a string of setbacks for Long.
His efforts to convert his North Side poultry-processing plant into a chicken slaughterhouse were thwarted in 2003 after complaints led to a settlement between his company and the Allegheny West Civic Council.
He also came under fire last year for stranding a dozen immigrants, most of whom were Cuban, who traveled to Pittsburgh from Miami to work in the poultry plant. Most of the immigrants, who had been promised work at the plant, eventually returned to Florida.
In January, burglars broke into a North Side mansion Long owned and took antique mantels and stained-glass windows worth more than $20,000, according to police reports. Most of the items, which were sold to an antiques shop, were later recovered.
In addition, court documents filed this past month show his residence in Sewickley is the subject of a foreclosure action by S & T Bank of Philadelphia. The bank contends that Long owes more than $600,000.
Long played right guard for the Steelers from 1984 to 1991. Steelers spokesman Dave Lockett declined to comment on Long's indictment.
