LOCK HAVEN — A former state trooper who was charged with raping a female acquaintance pleaded guilty to four misdemeanors and was sentenced to 10 years probation the day before his trial.

Richard Keener, 40, of Bellefonte, pleaded guilty Wednesday to simple assault, unlawful restraint, indecent assault and disorderly conduct, the Clinton County Court Administrator's office said. Judge J. Michael Williamson also ordered Keener to pay a $1,000 fine and have no contact with the woman.

The plea deal allowed Keener to avoid a trial scheduled to start Thursday.

PHILADELPHIA — Hundreds of convicted criminals could be sprung from crowded city jails by fall and be placed in a "virtual lockdown" by being fitted with GPS tracking devices.A voice barking orders from their ankles would scold offenders who ventured someplace forbidden. That's the vision of Deputy Mayor Everett Gillison, who plans to have a pilot program in place this fall for about 200 offenders.The program would alleviate crowding in the city's jammed jails by removing nonviolent inmates already sentenced for misdemeanors and "light felonies" and having them wear GPS trackers, Gillison said.

GREENSBURG — A Jeannette man faces up to three years in prison and could lose his license until the year 2062 after pleading guilty to his sixth and seventh drunken driving charges.Westmoreland County authorities said Mark "Polecat" Harris, 43, got his license in February 1989 and was arrested for drunken driving twice that year. His license was first suspended in March 1990.Harris also was convicted of drunken driving in 1990, 2000, and 2002.His license is already suspended until July 2051. He faces up to 11 years in additional suspensions after pleading guilty Wednesday to drunken driving in 2006 and 2007.