DA In Pennsylvania Arrested On 31 Charges, Resigns

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BEDFORD COUNTY, Pa. (AP) —A Pennsylvania district attorney faces dozens of criminal charges and has stepped down over what he calls accusations he engaged in conduct "unbecoming of a district attorney" and "unbecoming of a husband and father."

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Bedford County District Attorney Bill Higgins was arraigned Wednesday on 31 counts, including charges of witness intimidation, official oppression and obstruction.

Court officials aren't immediately releasing the charging documents, saying they need time to redact nonpublic information.

Messages left for Higgins' defense attorney and for the lawyer who's now running the county prosecutor's office weren't immediately returned. The attorney general's office says it will provide details at an afternoon news conference.

Higgins' statement says he won't "comment on the validity" of the accusations.

The 43-year-old Republican was sworn into office in 2004 as the state's youngest district attorney.