Pero Victorious in Magistrate Race

Unofficial returns show former police chief with substantial margin of victory

By Staff Reports
The Tube City Almanac
May 20, 2025
Posted in: Politics & Elections

Unofficial returns showed Joe Pero with a substantial lead in the race for both the Democratic and Republican nominations in Magisterial District 05-02-13. (Submitted photo via Facebook)

McKeesport’s former police chief was on track Tuesday night to become the city’s next magisterial district judge.

With 32 of 32 precincts reporting, unofficial returns from the primary election showed Joe Pero leading Michael Cherepko on both the Democratic and Republican ballots.

Allegheny County’s Elections Division showed Pero with a 59 to 41 percent lead on the Democratic side — 1,257 to 863 votes — and a 79 to 21 percent lead on the Republican side, 408 to 109 votes.

Judicial races in Pennsylvania are officially non-partisan, allowing candidates to cross-file.

Barring a successful write-in candidate in the Nov. 4 election, Pero will replace Magisterial District Judge Eugene Riazzi, who is retiring.

Cherepko, who has served as mayor of McKeesport since 2011, would have been required to resign that office if his campaign for magistrate had been successful.

In Pennsylvania, magisterial district judges issue criminal warrants and hold preliminary hearings to determine whether suspects arrested by police should be held for trial in a higher court.

They also hold hearings on minor civil cases — sometimes called small claims court — as well as landlord-tenant disputes and minor criminal violations.

State law does not require magisterial district judges to be lawyers, though if they are not lawyers, they are required to complete a mandatory training program provided by the state’s Minor Judiciary Education Board.

During the campaign, Pero noted that he had already enrolled in the training program.

Pero is a graduate of McKeesport Area High School and served in the U.S. Marine Corps before attending the Pennsylvania State Police Academy.

He joined the McKeesport police in 1986 as a patrol officer, rising to chief of police after serving as undercover narcotics officer, patrol lieutenant and assistant chief. He retired in 2009.

While a police officer, Pero also attended the FBI National Academy.

Although Cherepko had the backing of the Allegheny County Democratic Committee and the McKeesport Democratic Committee, Pero captured several other key endorsements, including that of the Allegheny-Fayette Central Labor Council and local Teamsters unions.

Most previous magistrates in McKeesport, including Riazzi and his predecessor, District Judge Thomas Brletic, have been retired police officers.

City council: New faces likely

Another retired police officer also appeared to be on track to election to public office — in this case, McKeesport City Council.

There are three seats up for election in the fall. Unofficial and incomplete returns indicated that the leading candidates on the Democratic side were incumbent Council Member Jill Brewster Lape (1,078 votes), retired police Chief Adam Alfer (944 votes) and Jessica Johnson (803 votes).

Joe Lopretto had 770 votes and incumbent Council Member Brian Evans had 581 votes.

Incumbent Council Member Jim Barry, whose term expires this year, was not seeking re-election.

No Republican candidates filed, though there were more than 100 write-ins, county officials said.

Originally published May 20, 2025.

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