Franklin Co sheriff really concerned about 'Character'?

[Pa. Patriot]

Posted under Fair Use.
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Sheriff defends deputy's return to work:Facing indecent assault charge, he screened courthouse visitors
By VICKY TAYLOR Staff writer

A man scheduled for disposition today on a charge of indecent assault was back to work for three days last week, screening visitors to the county courthouse. He has since resumed his administrative leave.

Franklin County Sheriff Robert Wollyung, with less than two months left in office, defended his decision to put Raymond Rotz, a courthouse security guard charged with indecent assault, back to work last week. The sheriff said he received intense criticism after courthouse employees realized Rotz was working again.

In an affidavit filed in Rotz's indecent assault case, there is reference to a written statement in which Rotz allegedly admits that he touched a 3-year-old boy inappropriately.

In January Rotz told his employer, Wollyung, of the incident that lead to the charges. The sheriff placed the security guard on administrative leave. Just over a week away from a disposition in the case, Wollyung allowed Rotz to come back to work screening visitors.

The decision created ripples at the courthouse and Wollyung said he received quite a bit of negative feedback.

"I got a lot of feedback but no direct complaints," he said.

District Attorney Jack Nelson didn't mince words in criticizing the decision, telling his employees they did not have to submit to searches by Rotz.

So intense was the criticism that Wollyung put Rotz back on administrative leave this week.

Wollyung said he has since consulted with his solicitor in an effort to determine
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the best course of action to take. The sheriff said there could be a plea agreement between Rotz's lawyer and the district attorney's office. If that materializes and Rotz is allowed to enter a no-contest plea to the charges and is put on Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition, Wollyung said he wants advice on whether Rotz can again be in charge of screening and -- in some cases -- searching visitors.

A disposition hearing for Rotz is scheduled this afternoon before Judge Carol Van Horn.

On Monday Wollyung skirted a question about Rotz's employment status last week, saying he would not make a decision about whether or not to put the 68-year-old man back to work until after today's hearing. The sheriff also said he had not put Rotz back to work.

When questioned more closely about the issue on Tuesday, he admitted that Rotz worked for three days last week with other security guards at the courthouse so he could be trained on the use of a new X-ray machine now used to scan the contents of purses, briefcases and bags.

"I thought it was appropriate to put him back to work since it appeared he would be put on ARD," Wollyung said.

"I was shocked," said Prothonotary Linda Beard, who works in the courthouse. "There was another person out there with him, but I don't understand the reason behind the decision."

She said others in her office also expressed the same feelings.

"Some of us just couldn't believe he was back at work," she said.

Nelson said this week that he could not comment on Rotz's case because it is pending in court, but that he felt it was inappropriate for Wollyung to put him to work at the security station last week.

"It is correct that I told my staff in light of the information we have that they don't have to submit to searches by Mr. Rotz," Nelson said. "I don't feel it is appropriate for anyone to have to submit to a search by him and I will stand behind my staff if they refuse to be searched."

He said Wollyung had access to the same information about Rotz's case that he had. He said he disagreed with the sheriff's contention that Rotz's case was not as serious as that of another courthouse guard who was also suspended after similar charges were filed against him in January.

Both Rotz and Nasby Bowen, 67, have been on administrative leave since January.

"I felt as part of my investigation that there was a little more to Mr. Bowen's case and when he came to me and asked to come back to work, I decided not to do that," Wollyung said.

He said another factor in his decision was the fact that in Bowen's case he was notified by the county's Children and Youth Services of the charges, but Rotz came to him before charges were filed in his case and informed him of the situation.

"In Mr. Rotz's case, I felt it was appropriate to let him come back to work if he was put on ARD," he said.

Nelson disagreed. He pointed out that a confession by Rotz is mentioned in an affidavit of probable cause filed in the case. The affidavit is a part of the public record in the case.

Nelson would not confirm that a plea deal was in the works in the case, saying he could not comment on the case.

One of three things can happen in disposition hearings. The charges could be dropped, the defendant could enter a guilty plea or could be put on ARD if a plea agreement calls for that.

Bowen was placed in the ARD program in May for two years. He had been charged with having inappropriate contact with a child at his home on a number of occasions between 2000 and 2004.

ARD provides an alternative to a criminal conviction. If a defendant successfully completes the program, the charges are wiped off his record. If he fails to complete the program he can be prosecuted for the original offense.

Wollyung said he will make a decision about Rotz's employment status with his department after this afternoon's hearing.

He said he will probably issue a statement about that decision sometime Thursday.

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Vicky Taylor can be reached at 262-4753 or vtaylor@publicopinionnews.com.

[Pa. Patriot]

Interesting double standard the sheriff is applying.

Revokes gnbrotz LTCF for non-illegal act, without review.

[NineseveN]

What really gets me is, don't they (Raymond Rotz and Gnbrotz) have the same last name? What are the odds of that happening?

[MartinBrody]

Franklin County Sheriff Robert Wollyung, with less than two months left in office

Looks like there will be a new Sheriff in town soon. I checked the election results and Dave Anthony will be the new Sheriff, is this correct? I can't find anything else out about him though. I wonder what this will mean for gnbrotz.

[chesire17201]

I saw this in the paper today and that was my first thought, you revoke a permit for no reason, but you'll let a all but convicted sexual predator screen the general public, cause he's basically a good guy.....and just happens to be a deputy...

The other part I really love about all this is not just 1 deputy, but 2 are up on sex charges with VERY underage children, and 1 has received ARD(probation) and the other will most likely get it as well.....WTF.....

shouldn't these dirty bastards get at least a few years and then have to register on the meagan's law list.....you know, like a normal person would have.....

sorry, forgot, they were deputies, so a la, better than the rest of society......

[HiredGoon]

Just wondering, are deputy Raymond Rotz and gnbRotz related?

[Pa. Patriot]

Originally Posted by HiredGoon

Just wondering, are deputy Raymond Rotz and gnbRotz related?

Maybe Rotz is a common name in Chambersburg area?

I've been in some towns where half the darned town all had the same last name...

[Pa. Patriot]

Originally Posted by chesire17201

The other part I really love about all this is not just 1 deputy, but 2 are up on sex charges with VERY underage children, and 1 has received ARD(probation) and the other will most likely get it as well.....WTF.....

It's pretty clear to me that this sheriff Wollyung is a dirt bag of the highest order.

[Pa. Patriot]

Originally Posted by MartinBrody

Looks like there will be a new Sheriff in town soon. I checked the election results and Dave Anthony will be the new Sheriff, is this correct? I can't find anything else out about him though. I wonder what this will mean for gnbrotz.

Yup, but Wollyung is retiring. He did not run in the last election.

[gnbrotz]

I wouldn't say Rotz is a 'common' name, but certainly not uncommon in the Franklin/Cumberland county area. We are technically related, but to make the connection, you must trace his ancestors back six generations, and my own back seven.