BY STACI WILSON

Natural gas opponent Vera Scroggins appeared in Montrose District Court Monday, June 29, to answer on criminal charges alleging she video and audio taped people two years ago without their permission.

Scroggins, 64, of Brackney, waived her preliminary hearing in front of Magisterial District Judge Jeffrey Hollister. Felony counts of intercept communications, disclose intercepted communications, and use intercepted communications will move forward to the Court of Common Pleas.

Following the hearing, Scroggins said she would likely be entering into a plea agreement in the matter so she could focus on appealing the civil case with Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation, of Houston, Texas. Cabot was granted a permanent injunction barring Scroggins from its properties and operations earlier this year.

According to court documents, Scroggins made a video and audio recording of both Montrose-based attorney Laurence Kelly and his assistant Heidi Mitchell, at Kelly’s private office on Public Avenue, without their knowledge in June 2013.

Scroggins said, “I asked Laurence Kelly for an application to be in the (July 4th) Parade with our water delivery truck for the families without water because of gas drilling.” She said Kelly refused her group an application and entry into the parade and found her and/or her group to be controversial.

Scroggins had emailed a Youtube link to the video and audio recording to Susquehanna County District Attorney Jason Legg on June 7, 2013, according to the affidavit. The video was labeled “Craig Stevens – water quality” with the subject “Larry Kelly refusing us for 4th July Parade 6-5-13.”

Scroggins said, “I had my camera exposed and wanted to tape (Kelly’s) refusal and then sent it to DA Jason Legg to see if our civil rights were violated. I did not know about the strict wiretapping law in (Pennsylvania) and still believe that I am innocent of violating that law.”

At the conclusion of the conversation, Kelly requested the two to leave his office. It was then, according to investigators, that Scroggins pointed a small, handheld, video recorder at Kelly and advised him for the first time that he was being recorded.

Scroggins said she did not believe the conversation nor the setting of a law office reception room to be private.