John S. Adams, 31, one of 12 Democrats running for one vacancy on Traffic Court, has several criminal convictions.
In 2003, Adams pleaded guilty to conspiracy, theft and receiving stolen property in a case in Bucks County. He received probation.
Court records indicate that Adams pleaded guilty to theft charges in Montgomery County in 2004 and received probation.
In August, 2010 he was arrested by Philadelphia police and charged with burglary and related charges. On April 1 of this year, the charges against Adams were "nolle prossed" (dismissed without a trial) in Common Pleas Court.
In a telephone interview, Adams explained that the latest charges were based on a dispute with his landlord. He said that he had moved out of his apartment in mid-month because it had been burglarized. When he returned to remove his remaining belongings, his landlord had him arrested. "It was ridiculous," he said. "How could I break into my own apartment.?'
The charges were "nolle prossed" when the landlord failed to show three times for the trial.
As to his other convictions, Adams said they all stemmed from a single incident: He had a rented storage locker in Bensalem. He let his cousin sub-lease it and said that unbeknownst to him the cousin had stored stolen goods there. Police charged him, along with his cousin, when they raided the locker and found the stolen goods.
Adams said he was advised by his attorney to plead guilty in exchange for probation because he was the owner of record of the locker.
"I did the plea because I did not want to go to jail for something I did not do," he said. "The only reason I pled guilty was through the advice of my attorney."
Adams said it was unfair to focus on his past, as opposed to his campaign for Traffic Court, which he is waging to make the court and the Philadelphia Parking Authority more accountable. He described them as agencies that regularly harass and abuse citizens.
"My campaign is about regulating the courts and the Parking Authority," Adams sand. "I am a good candidate for Traffic Court judge regardless of my criminal record."
Photo: An Adams campaign poster from his Facebook page.
In August, 2010 he was arrested by