Residents of a borough scarred by scandal are rallying around a former police officer charged with conspiring to obstruct justice in a federal hate crime investigation.
Federal prosecutors charged four officers from Schuylkill County but a large part of the community are standing behind one of those officers.
Officials said the former officers tried to cover up who was responsible for the beating death of Luis Ramirez of Shenandoah in 2008.
Court papers said William Moyer was part of the coverup.
"I can not believe that. That's not Billy. That's not our Billy. He would never do something like that," said Moyer's sister-in-law Georgette Moyer.
That's why William Moyer's family and friends are rallying and collecting money to pay his bills. They are selling wrist bands which read, "Faith in Billy" and t-shirts with the message, "We Support Billy" plus the family has set up two web sites where people can post comments.
"I know Bill Moyer, both professionally and personally, and he doesn't have a criminal bone in his body. If you want to question something that he did procedurally wrong, that's fine, but don't call it criminal," said former Shenandoah Police Chief Neil Reese.
"I am not the judge, I am not the jury, I just have a passion to support Billy and so many others do. That's what I am here for," said cousin Cyndi Gomosky.
"He's in kind of down and he needs it. I think he really needs support like this and they're doing a good job for him," said Moyer's brother, Joe. "I think he's really appreciative of it, you know."
The fundraiser for William Moyer will climax at the Shenandoah Heights Fire Company on February 13 when they will hold a soup and bake sale for him.
Federal prosecutors charged four officers from Schuylkill County but a large part of the community are standing behind one of those officers.
Officials said the former officers tried to cover up who was responsible for the beating death of Luis Ramirez of Shenandoah in 2008.
Court papers said William Moyer was part of the coverup.
"I can not believe that. That's not Billy. That's not our Billy. He would never do something like that," said Moyer's sister-in-law Georgette Moyer.
That's why William Moyer's family and friends are rallying and collecting money to pay his bills. They are selling wrist bands which read, "Faith in Billy" and t-shirts with the message, "We Support Billy" plus the family has set up two web sites where people can post comments.
"I know Bill Moyer, both professionally and personally, and he doesn't have a criminal bone in his body. If you want to question something that he did procedurally wrong, that's fine, but don't call it criminal," said former Shenandoah Police Chief Neil Reese.
"I am not the judge, I am not the jury, I just have a passion to support Billy and so many others do. That's what I am here for," said cousin Cyndi Gomosky.
"He's in kind of down and he needs it. I think he really needs support like this and they're doing a good job for him," said Moyer's brother, Joe. "I think he's really appreciative of it, you know."
The fundraiser for William Moyer will climax at the Shenandoah Heights Fire Company on February 13 when they will hold a soup and bake sale for him.
