Here is a brief update on some of the events that occurred recently in the Chester County DA’s Office:
Democratic Campaign Manager Charged with Fraud in Nominating Petitions for PA Auditor General
On February 2, 2026, the Chester County Detectives charged Mariel Kornblith-Martin, 40, of Philadelphia, with Solicitation to Unsworn Falsification to Authorities, Solicitation to False Swearing, the Filing of False Nomination Petitions, and other related charges.
As part of the election process, candidates for statewide office in Pennsylvania must obtain signatures from voters in different counties. The person collecting the signatures—referred to as a circulator—does so on a Nominating Petition. Each Nominating Petition is signed by the circulator, indicating that they were the person who collected the signatures. Forging signatures or otherwise falsifying the forms is a crime.
In February of 2024, a Chester County Court of Common Pleas Judge contacted the Chester
County District Attorney’s Office to report that her signature had been forged on one of the Nominating Petitions for Auditor General Candidate Mark Pinsley. The judge reported that she did not sign the petition, as judges are not permitted to sign Nominating Petitions in Pennsylvania because they hold nonpartisan positions.
As detailed in a Criminal Complaint, investigators located multiple forged signatures on the candidate’s Nominating Petitions. Investigators identified three circulators who signed Nominating Petitions that included forgeries. They further developed evidence that Defendant Kornblith-Martin directed the circulators and paid them to sign pre-filled Nominating Petitions. As the campaign manager for a Democratic Auditor General Candidate with over a decade of experience, the Defendant knew that Nominating Petitions must be signed by the person who actually collected the signatures.
Small Business Owner Sentenced to Jail for Deceptive Business Practices
On January 29, 2026, Defendant Matthew Kaplan, 37, of Rydal, Pennsylvania was sentenced 6 to 23 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to Deceptive Business Practices and related charges. Defendant Kaplan owned a furniturestore—M. Kaplan Interiors—and defrauded dozens of victims who ordered and paid for furniture that they never received. As a part of his sentence, Defendant Kaplan is required to pay back $530,203.92 of restitution to all the victims. As of the date of sentencing, he had paid back $120,000.
Chester County District Attorney Christopher de Barrena-Sarobe said, “The victims chose to buy from the Defendant because they wanted to support a local business. Instead of rewarding them with an excellent product, the Defendant took money from the victims knowing his business would never be able to deliver on the furniture that they ordered.”
Chester County Inmate Convicted of Spitting on a Corrections Officer
On January 30, 2026, a jury convicted Christine Henson, 39, of West Chester, of Aggravated Harassment by Prisoner after she failed to comply with Correctional Officers and spit on at least one of them during the intake process. The two-day trial was held before the Honorable Sarah B. Black. The Defendant will be sentenced at a later date.
Chester County District Attorney Christopher de Barrena-Sarobe said, “Corrections officers have an incredibly difficult job. Not only did the Defendant’sactions make that job more challenging, but spitting on a corrections officer is a crime. This office will not tolerate that conduct and will make sure that defendants like Christine Henson are held accountable.”
