Exeter man pleads guilty in sex assault of minor

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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Prosecutors have moved for the dismissal of theft charges against a lawyer accused of stealing from a Welsh culture group he had been treasurer of.</p><p>Hopkin Rowlands, 77, of Wilkes-Barre, paid back the $5,000 he was accused of stealing from St. David&#8217;s Society of Wyoming Valley, according to court papers filed Thursday in Luzerne County Court. The move allows for his case to be dismissed, according to state law.</p><p>Rowlands previously pleaded guilty to one count of theft, but court records indicate he is scheduled to appear in court Friday for a bench trial.</p><p>According to a criminal complaint, Rowlands served as treasurer of the St. David&#8217;s group for five years but was ousted in April 2014 for his repeated failure to produce financial records. Reconstruction of the records later revealed a shortage of more than $5,000.</p><p>The state Supreme Court Disciplinary Board suspended Rowlands&#8217;s legal license in January for a term of one year and one day, writing in an opinion that he took undocumented and unauthorized loans from a client in violation of the state Rules of Professional Conduct.</p><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By James O&#8217;Malley</p><p>jomalley@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach James O&#8217;Malley at 570-991-6390 or on Twitter @TL_omalley.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Prosecutors seek dismissal of charges against suspended attorney