The lawyer for a Potter County township secretary/treasurer who is accused of theft from Genesee Township, has withdrawn from the case.
Attorney Christopher Martini had been the lawyer listed as representing Ashlee Dreas until Nov. 15, court records read.
Martini, of St. Marys, received an emergency temporary suspension by the state Office of Disciplinary Counsel in October. It went into effect Nov. 19 and will remain until further definitive action by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.
According to the Potter County District Attorney Andy Watson, “Attorney Martini has withdrawn on the case as counsel. (Dreas) has another criminal conference in December, and we have listed that case for trial.” Watson did not disclose who would be representing the defendant.
The conference is scheduled for 9 a.m. Dec. 6.
Dreas is charged with two felony counts of theft by deception, two counts of tampering with public records, a felony count of receiving stolen property, and one felony count of theft by unlawful taking. All the felonies are in the third degree. She is also charged with several first-degree misdemeanors: eight counts of theft by unlawful taking, six counts of receiving stolen property, four counts of theft by deception, one count of theft of services, and one count of theft by failure to make required disposition of funds. Dreas was arraigned last December and released on $10,000 unsecured bail. She had been employed from Oct. 9, 2019, to Dec. 8, 2020. More than $3,080 in cash and other items, as well as nearly $1,500 in debit/credit card purchases, were allegedly stolen from the Potter County township.
Martini was publicly reprimanded in July by the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. In one reprimand, the panel stated the attorney had an inappropriate relationship with a client, including sending “sexually explicit language” in text messages. In another incident, the board found that Martini had received payment but did not file timely motions or appeals, causing the appeal to be dismissed, and failed to tell the client why the appeal was dismissed.
He was also referred to the board in September regarding a case in McKean County for failing to file appeal documents in a case involving homicide by vehicle. The Superior Court withdrew Martini from that case.
