Former mayor to serve jail time after shooting at Pokemon GO players

Pokemon GO often warns players to be aware of their surroundings as they roam about in their world and within the mobile title, but some things can't be accounted for. Two individuals learned this in 2022 in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, when they were attacked by former Osceola Mills mayor Ida Reams. The ex-official has been convicted of assault for firing a weapon at the two players.

Reams served two terms as the mayor of Osceola Mills, a small Pennsylvanian borough with an approximate population of around 1,000 people. Her tenure began in 2013 after her successful election, and she did not seek reelection after her second term concluded in 2021.

In March 2022, two Pokemon GO players were confronted by Reams, who appeared to be intoxicated and discharged her weapon, according to the initial criminal complaint.

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Ex-Osceola Mills mayor threatens and fires a weapon at two Pokemon GO players

According to the Clearfield County Police Department, two Pokemon GO players were enjoying the game in a parking lot outside of a community food bank on Lingle Street. During a 911 call by one of the players, Reams approached the two trainers and told them to leave and that she would "F**king kill them." Police also stated that the sound of two gunshots was heard before the call concluded.

Following the incident, Reams was arrested by police in March 2022 and charged with two counts each of assault, terroristic threats, and reckless endangerment. She was also charged with a DUI. Reams appeared in court on December 11, 2023, and was sentenced to serve four months to one year in prison in addition to one and a half years probation.

The town museum, located on the same street where the Pokemon GO encounter took place (Image via Osceola Mills Community Historical Foundation)

Reams' case took a significant amount of time to reach this sentencing, as multiple plea deals by the former mayor had been rejected, and multiple local outlets reported that the two Pokemon GO players did not appear to testify in her trial. Moreover, Reams was diagnosed with late-stage cancer, which compromised her immune system and complicated the circumstances of her incarceration.

Reams also purportedly requires a regular intake of medications as well as treatment from a medical professional in Pittsburgh, further exacerbating the case considering the circumstances of her imprisonment. This led her to ask the judge to allow her to serve her sentence on home detention so that she could continue receiving treatment and medication.

"(The victims) have been hostile since the beginning (of the case)." - Clearfield County District Attorney Ryan Sayers

The former mayor was informed that she would need to report to the county jail by January 11, 2024. Authorities will reportedly make their decision on Reams' request for home detention. The "hostile" stance toward the case by the two Pokemon GO players, according to District Attorney Ryan Sayers, resulted in the court withdrawing two counts of aggravated assault and reissuing two plea deals.

According to local reports, one Pokemon GO fan was subpoenaed to appear for testimony but did not do so. Meanwhile, the second victim could not be located by officials after their release from a Pennsylvania state prison in an unrelated case.

Ultimately, Ida Reams pleaded guilty to two counts of making terroristic threats and reckless endangerment.