BEDFORD — Results of an audit of the Bedford County District Attorney Office’s drug law enforcement and task force accounts reveal no misappropriations or missing money, according to Commissioner Josh Lang.

Lang said the audit, conducted by Wessel and Co. in Johnstown, began a week after the announcement of corruption charges against former District Attorney William Higgins in April.

“I think anything we do in these types of circumstances, as a county and as commissioners, we have a responsibility to taxpayers and a responsibility to protect our county interests,” Lang said at a Tuesday meeting. “And we do everything we can to limit our risks.”

A March 16 bank statement reported the drug law enforcement account amount at $20,184.25, according to Lang. He also said the drug task force account amount was $3,831.05 as listed on a March 30 bank statement.

Wessel and Co. could not be reached for comment about the audit.

The commissioners expect the audit report to be completed and made publicly available at the end of this month.

Higgins pleaded guilty last week to 31 misdemeanor counts alleging he ex­changed sexual favors for overly lenient sentences of female drug dealers and exposing the identities of undercover informants.

As part of a plea bargain with the state Attorney General’s Office, Higgins will serve no jail time. He will not receive county pension contributions or interest. The status of his law license is up to the discretion of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court disciplinary board.

The probation office will conduct a pre-sentencing investigation prior to Higgins’ sentencing at 1:30 p.m. Aug. 24 in Courtroom 2 of the Bedford County Courthouse.

At Tuesday’s meeting, the commissioners also ap­proved a construction bid submitted by Cottle’s As­phalt Maintenance amounting to $342,310.30 for the renovation of Bridge 31 near the Omni Bedford Springs Resort. Construction work will start in November and continue into April.

Nine members were also approved for the Bedford County Visitors Bureau Board of Directors: Corey Meckes, Mary Jane Salmon, Barb Diehl, Melinda Zongor, Kathy Monsour, Louisa Young, John Bittner, John Hess and Josh Lang.

Mirror Staff Writer Shen Wu Tan is at 946-7457.