A former part-time Southwest Greensburg police officer was convicted Tuesday of official oppression for a traffic stop while off duty and in an other jurisdiction.

Prosecutors contended James Shaw, 56, of Mt. Pleasant Township initiated a traffic stop in East Huntingdon in October 2020 then followed the same vehicle for more than 10 miles before state police intervened.

Kelsie Davis, of Connellsville testified she initially spotted a black sports car behind her flashing what appeared to be police lights as she drove north on Route 119 through East Huntingdon.

Shaw pulled alongside and flashed a badge before the traffic stop, she testified.

“He got out and approached my car. I didn’t put down the window. He was wearing black pullover and khakis and had a gun and what looked like a Connellsville School District badge,” Davis testified.

She stayed at the scene for several minutes and eventually called 911 as she drove away, she said. Davis was followed for more than 10 miles with flashing police lights until she again pulled over near the Smithton exit of Route 70 at the direction of a 911 dispatcher and waited for state police to arrive.

“He walked around, took photos and wrote in a note pad,” Davis testified.

State Police Trooper Kenneth Sherman testified he questioned Shaw when he arrived at the scene. Shaw claimed he a suspected Davis illegally switched lanes and sped.

Shaw, who also worked as a part-time police officer in Connellsville and as a resource officer for the Connellsville School District, conceded the traffic stop was outside of his jurisdiction, Sherman said.

“I told him this isn’t how to handle this situation, and he agreed,” Sherman testified.

Davis was allowed to leave the scene and was not cited for any traffic offenses.

Shaw did not testify during the trial.

Defense attorney Matthew Ness argued Shaw was on duty at the time of the incident because he was en route to testify at a hearing in an unrelated case at the Westmoreland County Courthouse when he initiated the traffic stop.

Assistant District Attorney Katie Ranker said Shaw’s actions violated the law.

“He was acting out of his authority and with authority he did not have,” Ranker said.

Westmoreland County Common Pleas Judge Scott Mears rejected Shaw’s defense.

“He witnessed a minor offense and should have let it go,” Mears said as he announced the guilty verdict to one misdemeanor count of official oppression.

Shaw will be sentenced next month.

According to court records, he was convicted last year in two other criminal cases, one in which he was accused of wiretapping a school official and parent, and another involving allegations of a violent altercation with a Connellsville Area High School student.

Ness said Shaw, who no longer works as a police officer, is serving a probation and house arrest sentence in connection with the prior convictions in Fayette County.

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