December 1st, 2007
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Grand Member
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Join Date: May 2007
Location:
Chambersburg,
Pennsylvania
(Franklin County)
Age: 41
Posts: 9,796
Rep Power: 15740
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Re: Franklin Co sheriff really concerned about 'Character'?
Here is the text for reference after the link no longer works:
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Quote:
Guard placed on probation, loses job
By VICKY TAYLOR Staff writer
A Franklin County courthouse security guard charged with indecent assault in a case involving a minor was placed on probation for the crime by a judge and lost his job with the county Wednesday by decision of the sheriff.
Raymond Rotz, 68, agreed to the sentence of assignment to the Accelerated Rehabilitation Disposition program for 18 months in a Wednesday afternoon hearing before Judge Carol Van Horn. The hearing on one charge of indecent assault was preceded by a lengthy conference between the district attorney's office and Rotz's attorney, David Keller, in the judge's chambers.
During that hearing, First Assistant District Attorney Angela Krom asked that the ARD conditions include 18 months of probation under the supervision of the county probation department's sexual offender program. Other requirements are that Rotz undergo a mental health evaluation and a stipulation that he not have any unsupervised contact with minors.
"We believe this set of conditions will protect the public," Krom told the court.
She said the case was complicated by the fact that the guardian of the child Rotz was accused of molesting had been difficult to locate and might not cooperate with the prosecution.
"At this point, it appears they may be hostile witnesses," she said.
Rotz told Judge Van Horn that he agreed to all of the ARD terms. On successful completion of the ARD program, the indecent assault charge will be dropped. Van Horn warned Rotz that if he got into any trouble during that time or was arrested for any reason, his probation would be revoked and he would have to either enter a guilty plea or stand trial on the charge.
After the hearing, Sheriff Robert Wollyung -- who was present in the courtroom -- met briefly with Rotz before announcing that he had terminated Rotz's employment with the sheriff's office.
Rotz was whisked out of the courthouse through a back entrance, but Wollyung said the former security guard agreed with the decision.
Wollyung put Rotz back to work at the security checkpoint in the courthouse last week, saying it was done to train him to use the county's new X-ray machines. Rotz's reappearance at the courthouse as an employee of the sheriff again created a stir, triggering at least some negative reaction from employees and officials.
Wollyung said he made the decision because he knew the district attorney's office had not been able to locate the young victim's guardian, an issue that weakened the case against Rotz.
"Deep in the back of my mind, there was doubt about his guilt and I felt he was innocent until proven guilty," Wollyung said. "Today, given the negative reaction to that decision and the terms of his sentence, I have decided it is best to terminate his employment. He concurs with that decision."
District Attorney Jack Nelson said last week when Rotz went back to work that as a DA he would support any of his employees who decided they didn't want to submit to a search by Rotz if asked to do so when screened at the courthouse door. Nelson said today he felt ARD was an appropriate resolution to the case.
He said he had not changed his mind about the appropriateness of Rotz's employment as a security guard but that it would be up to Wollyung to decide what to do about that issue.
Police allege in court documents that Rotz touched a 3-year-old boy inappropriately in November 2006. Rotz lived in the same apartment building as the boy and his uncle and had known them since the child was an infant, according to an affidavit filed in the case. The boy called Rotz "pappy," according to the court document.
Today he said he would be advertising for applicants for the position that Rotz had.
Security guards work part-time only.
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Vicky Taylor can be reached at 262-4753 or vtaylor@publicopinionnews.com.
Security
Unlike training for sheriff's deputies, guards' training is informal and done by the sheriff's department, not at a police academy. Guards do not wear uniforms, although they are issued jackets with the sheriff's office insignia. They don't carry weapons. Nor do they do body searches or pat downs.
Each person entering the courthouse must go through the security station, where they put any bags, cases or packages on the X-ray machine conveyor belt and empty their pockets before going through the metal detector.
If they set off the metal detector while walking through, the guards use hand-held scanners to locate any metal on the person. Usually that amounts to a watch, belt buckle, piece of jewelry or a hair clip.
If after doing the scan, a guard feels a person needs to be searched further, they are instructed to call the sheriff's office, located down the hall, for a deputy who would then complete the search.
"A security officer would never do a 'pat down' and there is no physical contact between the guards and the public," Wollyung said. "If that kind of thing was necessary, one of my deputies would do it."
The courthouse has had some security for many years, but that security was beefed up after the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001.
The first metal detector was installed on the third floor where the county's courtrooms are after now President Judge John Walker's 12-year-old son was attacked by an intruder at the family's home in the early 1990s. The assailant told the boy he was seeking revenge against the judge.
Wollyung developed the security guard force in fall 2003 to man security stations at the courthouse and other county buildings. Rotz was hired in June 2004.
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