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Charges withdrawn against disbarred lawyer, former state representative

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Charges of theft and deceptive business practices filed earlier this year against a disbarred lawyer and former state representative were withdrawn Thursday after he met conditions imposed by the court at a previous proceeding.

Jesse White, 40, of 3249 Millers Run Road, Cecil, had been scheduled for a preliminary hearing before District Judge Traci McDonald. The hearing had been continued from April to allow White to receive a mental health evaluation and receive any recommended treatment. He also had to take a minimum of eight gambling addiction treatment sessions. White told McDonald he would have documentation verifying he completed the treatment sent to her office Thursday afternoon.

White was charged in January by McDonald police Officer William Nimal after he allegedly accepted money and did not do the requested legal work. White had an office on South McDonald Street in the borough.

A Coraopolis man told Nimal he hired White in April 2016 to enforce a surface agreement against Consol Energy. A year later, he learned White’s law license had been suspended. When he collected his personal files from White’s office, he noticed no work had been done and White reportedly failed to return any money for the uncompleted work.

After entering the courtroom, White handed the man an envelope telling him it contained a certified check for the restitution. Payment of the $2,500 restitution was also part of the conditions set by the court.

“My concern was that the victim be paid in full,” Nimal said.

Jack Puskar, White’s defense attorney, also said the victim was satisfied. He said White it trying to move on and better himself.

White tenured his unconditional resignation from practicing law in Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Supreme Court issued an order last year disbarring White on his own consent after allegations surfaced he misappropriated money entrusted to him by clients. He was admitted to the bar in 2003. White was elected to the state Legislature representing the 46th district in 2006, serving until he was defeated in 2014.

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