Edward Veneziano II, a Penn State police dispatcher, was charged Tuesday after allegedly stealing police equipment, misusing law enforcement databases, and allowing a former student auxiliary officer into a secure police dispatch center to access Pennsylvania State Police radio programming, according to the Centre Daily Times.

Veneziano faces felony charges of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, distribution of devices for the theft of telecommunications services, computer trespass, and criminal trespass. He also faces three misdemeanor theft counts.

According to an affidavit of probable cause seen by the Centre Daily Times, Veneziano allegedly allowed Zuoyu Wu, to enter the Penn State dispatch center in August 2024.

Police allege Wu connected computer equipment to a Pennsylvania State Police radio and used software to access its electronic configuration and programming information.

Wu was arrested in May on felony charges of unlawful use of a computer as well as computer trespassing. A pre-arraignment bail document noted an ongoing federal investigation involving “critical infrastructure,” though the nature of that investigation has not been made public.

Police allege Wu later provided the radio programming information to an associate who had been”actively attempting to compromise PSP’s encryption protocols.”

A Penn State police detective said investigators reviewed video recovered from Wu’s cellphone that showed him manipulating the radio.

Veneziano could reportedly be heard in the background, while scheduling records showed he was working a dispatch shift at the time.

Investigators also allege Veneziano repeatedly asked Wu to obtain state police and other public safety radio channels and program them into Veneziano’s personal radio.

During an interview in May, police said Veneziano admitted he conspired with Wu to program his personal radio with Centre County 911 channels.

Veneziano had requested permission to add those channels to his personal radio at least three times between 2019 and 2023, according to Penn State police.

Centre County government denied each request.

Police seized Veneziano’s radio while executing a search warrant and allegedly found nearly 30 channels and frequencies programmed into it, including channels associated with all five municipal police departments in Centre County, as well as the New York Police Department.

Wu reportedly told investigators that at least one channel was used for “encrypted communications to avoid law enforcement detection.”

Police also allege Veneziano and Wu worked together to program and sell seven radios to the Howard Fire Co.

According to the affidavit, Wu said the radios were imported from China and arrived in a modified condition that allowed them to receive unauthorized programming.

Wu allegedly paid Veneziano $460 for facilitating the sale of the radios. Investigators said they recovered invoices and email records documenting $16,000 in payments from the volunteer fire company, as well as records of a similar transaction involving the Warriors Mark Franklin Volunteer Fire Co.

Veneziano also worked as a constable in Centre County outside of his employment with Penn State. Police said audits found he conducted unauthorized searches in violation of university policy.

Centre County President Judge Jonathan Grine suspended Veneziano on Tuesday, barring him from performing court-related services indefinitely.

Investigators also searched Veneziano’s home and allegedly recovered radio batteries, a police vest, holsters, a gas mask bag, body armor, a citation pad, police patches, electronic hearing protection, and a device used to start a vehicle with a dead battery.

A Penn State spokesperson said the university is aware of the charges against Veneziano.

“As this matter involves an ongoing legal process and personnel considerations, the University is unable to provide additional comment,” the spokesperson said in an email to the Center Daily Times.

Veneziano was arraigned Tuesday by District Judge Casey McClain and released on $100,000 unsecured bail. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 26.

Wu remains incarcerated at the Centre County Correctional Facility with bail set at $2 million.