Embattled Susquehanna County attorney is charged yet again
Sep. 25—The onslaught of criminal charges filed against a Susquehanna County attorney continued Friday with new allegations brought by yet another couple who claimed Jason G. Beardsley took their money and vanished.
Over several criminal cases filed since July, Susquehanna County detectives accused Beardsley of stealing more than $40,000 from 10 clients. Beardsley also owed $400 to a constable the attorney hired to serve legal papers.
In the latest case, Alexander Moronta and Bianca Redondo told detectives they hired Beardsley, of Beardsley Law in Montrose, in December to represent Moronta and paid him $10,000.
"They stated that Attorney Beardsley would not communicate with them and failed to represent Moronta," Detective John Oliver wrote in a criminal complaint.
Redondo texted Beardsley for an update and received a profanity-laced reply that accused the couple of being "agents of the governments" involved in a conspiracy against him.
"I hope that you and Alex boy die a real slow death in the worst possible manner and in the very near future," Beardsley messaged, according to police. "Don't contact me again."
The alleged behavior tracked with allegations made by nearly a dozen others who came forward to county detectives. He took money from clients and then did not provide representation or give refunds, according to investigators.
Reached by phone Monday, Beardsley declined to comment.
Beardsley also has been the subject of 12 misconduct complaints that he is "abandoning his clients, making unfounded negative statements in public filings concerning judicial officers and other elected officials and engaging in criminal deceptive business practices," according to filings submitted by the state Supreme Court's Office of Disciplinary Counsel.
In court filings, he claimed he is the target of a conspiracy that includes employees of the district attorney's office, every elected official in Susquehanna County, members of the state police and local law enforcement, and the United States Post Office, among other groups.
On Aug. 10, an attorney with the Office of Disciplinary Counsel sent Beardsley an email requesting he contact them to discuss the complaints against him. Beardsley responded 11 days later.
"My position is the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a run [sic] by a bunch of crooks (and that includes your whole office) who have conspired against me," read his reply, according to the disciplinary office. "So I deny any wrongdoing, any and all of it, so please take that into consideration when making a recommendation."
"Don't contact me again because now you are part of the conspiracy," he continued. "And I will pray that you get charged and lose everything that you have loved or ever could love."
Beardsley's law license is currently on administrative suspension. He has practiced law in Pennsylvania for nearly 11 years.
In several court filings, Beardsley acknowledged his mental state has "deteriorated" and that the conspiracy he believes is aligned against him made it nearly impossible to perform legal work, the office said in filings.
Beardsley was issued a summons Friday to appear in court Oct. 16 to answer new charges of theft by deception and deceptive business practices — both felonies — and a misdemeanor count of harassment.
He is also scheduled for a preliminary hearing Oct. 16 on the other cases he faces.
On Monday, he pleaded guilty to two summary counts of harassment tied to the investigation, according to court filings.
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