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Judicial Conduct Board charges Washington County magistrate

The Pennsylvania Judicial Conduct Board filed formal charges against a Washington County magistrate that could possibly result in him being removed from the bench.

The 32-page complaint filed Thursday against Magisterial District Judge Mark Wilson suggests he improperly set bail in cases, including one involving the mayor of Monongahela.

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A number of cases are listed in which Wilson allegedly was biased, set bail too high or issued arrest warrants instead of summons.

One of those cases from 2012 involved Monongahela Mayor Robert Kepics, who owed money to his deceased parents’ neighbors. The neighbors wanted charges to be filed when Kepics fell behind on payments.

Though prosecutors said Kepics’ case seemed more civil than criminal, the complaint says the district attorney decided that criminal charges should be filed.

The complaint states that Wilson issued a warrant for Kepics arrest, became angry and told the constable, "I'm gonna teach him a (expletive) lesson! Go get him."

Kepics went to jail on a $5,000 bail, which he couldn’t pay. The complaint against Wilson says the judge never considered that, or the fact that Kepics did not have a criminal record.

Kepics said he believes Wilson just wanted to get even because he’d been critical of him in the past. The charges against Kepics were ultimately dismissed and Kepics filed a federal lawsuit against Wilson in 2014.

“It’s been a long time coming because I didn’t think anything was going to be done,” Kepics said Thursday. “I think karma did come around. You know, some things do happen that you would never think would happen.”

Wilson did not want to speak with Channel 11, but his attorney said Wilson has a reputation as being fair, but tough, and he has never had a complaint from the Judicial Conduct Board.

Attorney Christopher Carusone issued the following statement:

"Judge Mark Wilson is a no-nonsense judge who takes allegations of theft from the elderly and welfare fraud along with other criminal offenses very seriously.  He has fairly handled thousands of difficult criminal cases in Washington County without a complaint from the Judicial Conduct Board.

"He has a well deserved reputation as a "fair, but tough magisterial district justice" who "has never been considered soft on crime" and is "qualified and very good at what he does." (Mon Valley Independent 9/3/16). However, like the criminal justice system in which he serves, he is not perfect.  Decisions to set bail are among the hardest decisions a judge has to make, and it is rare that everyone walks away happy.

"Judge Wilson adamantly denies making the statements to Constable Fronzaglio described in the Complaint. Judge Wilson did not violate the Pennsylvania Constitution or the Rules Governing the Conduct of Magisterial District Judges and maintains his innocence."

Stay with Channel 11 News for continuing coverage.

 

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