STATEMENT ON DA LARRY KRASNER KNOWINGLY ACCEPTING THE ENDORSEMENT OF PAST SUPPORTER AND CONVICTED CHILD PREDATOR 52ND WARD LEADER STEPHEN JONES
On Saturday February 22nd, District Attorney Larry Krasner proudly stood at a political event next to a convicted child predator—52nd Ward Leader Stephen Jones. Just 12 days ago, Krasner’s office secured a guilty verdict against Jones on two felony counts of sexual assault of a minor. These are facts.
In Krasner’s campaign statement, his excuse for not knowing is that Jones is a common last name and suggests that Larry does not really know Mr. Jones. That is a lie. The statement also said Judge Dugan was invited to the 52nd Ward Meeting. That is another lie. Judge Pat Dugan and his staff were never contacted or invited to the 52nd Ward meeting. Over the past two weeks, only select candidates received text invitations. Jones had already made up his mind—he was going to endorse and support his good friend Larry Krasner for a third time just as he did in 2021 and 2017.
Larry Krasner stood smiling beside a convicted child predator—a man his own Senior Prosecutors had been trying in court since September 2023. Did he not recognize him? The DA in charge of every major case in this city failed to notice a politically connected sex offender standing next to him? Or did he know exactly who he was and choose to stand there anyway? Either answer should terrify you. And this raises other questions. Did the senior prosecutor ask to revoke the bail? If the judge denied the revocation of bail, did the DAO file an appeal? Was there a quid pro quo to let Stephen Jones wait for his sentencing at home in exchange for political support? Is the District Attorney’s office inept or just so broken and dysfunctional that they don’t even communicate internally about a high profile case being prosecuted over the last 17 months?
But this isn’t just about a single photo op. We’ve seen this office fail victims time and again with zero communication or compassion. Now, that same failure means survivors and their families had to watch a convicted abuser stand shoulder to shoulder with the very man elected to protect them. And for what? To try and win an election. This is deplorable and inexcusable. For seven years, this administration has failed the most vulnerable Philadelphians. We can do better. We must do better. These victims deserve so much better.
Being Philadelphia’s District Attorney requires good judgment. He either failed to notice or didn’t care while chasing four more years. Either way, that’s unacceptable.
“I spent my career making tough calls—on the bench and in the military. Here’s an easy one: We don’t campaign with convicted predators. We don’t shake their hands. We don’t accept their endorsements,” Judge Pat Dugan said.
Dugan added “Nearly 2,900 homicides. 10,000 shootings. A 70% case withdrawal rate at times. The lowest gun conviction rates in decades Violent crime is up over 50%. Retail theft is up 60%. Businesses shuttered. Wawa, Rite Aid, CVS, Macy’s— all gone. Workers left to fend for themselves.These aren’t accidents. They’re consequences. And they all lead back to Larry Krasner and his policies in his office. Philadelphia deserves a DA who puts safety and integrity first. That’s why I’m running—to restore trust, enforce the law, and give this city the DA it deserves.”