This page contains the source documents referenced in the procedural audit of Commonwealth v. Joseph Cordaro. Documents are organized by audit finding number. Each image can be viewed full-size by clicking or opening in a new tab. Source materials include the complete 16-page criminal docket (printed June 12, 2026), exhibits from the federal civil rights complaint (Cordaro v. Howell et al., Case 3:26-cv-01041-JKM, M.D. Pa.), Facebook profiles confirming family relationships, and the Robert L. Olver obituary.
Finding 1: The DA personally signed the criminal information in his father’s case
Information filed July 1, 2024 by “Howell, A.G.” His father Fred Howell initiated the complaint. His father’s legal bills became the restitution demand.
Docket Page 4: Information Filed, 07/01/2024. Filed By: Howell, A.G.
Finding 2: The investigation was conducted by the DA’s own employees, not an independent agency
Arresting Agency: “Wayne County, Detectives.” Arresting Officer: “Hower, Peter C.” County detectives reporting directly to DA A.G. Howell. No independent law enforcement involved.
Docket Page 1: Arresting Agency: Wayne County, Detectives. Officer: Hower, Peter C.
Incident Report DA-138-24: Location: 23 Ellen Memorial Ln. Badge: Chief Det. Peter C. Hower.
Incident Report, Page 3: Howell, Alfred J. Role: COMPLAINANT. “ATTORNEY FOR THE VICTIM AND COMPLAINANT.”
Am. Comp. ¶31 (page 14): Hower allegedly told Cordaro he was “sorry” and “had to arrest him because Fred said the civil matter wasn’t going well.”
Finding 3: Judge Edwards presided over a case initiated by the DA she supervised
Edwards signed every order, accepted the plea, imposed sentence, granted the nolle prosequi, and denied early termination. She is the former DA. A.G. Howell was her ADA. She began her legal career at John J. Martin’s firm in 1997 (Wayne Independent, 01/04/2017). Martin family members appear on both sides of this case. No recusal motion in the docket.
Docket Page 4: Edwards’ first order, 06/27/2024.
Docket Page 12: Edwards’ last order, 07/28/2025.
Finding 4: The public docket conceals the presiding judge
Judge Assigned field: blank. Judge Name column: blank on all seven calendar events. Edwards’ name appears only in the Entries section.
Docket Page 1: Judge Assigned: blank. Judge Name column: blank on all seven hearings.
Finding 5: Three families were positioned across every institution in the case
Howell family (complainant + DA), Martin family (law partner + defense attorney + bar president; a relative also serves as assistant public defender in the same courthouse), Altemier family (Ellen Memorial nursing + probation + county services). Ten people across every institution.
Wayne County Public Defender’s Office staff directory. John J. Martin II, Assistant Public Defender, is a relative of Mary Martin Moran, whose billable hours became the restitution demand. The Public Defender’s office did not represent Cordaro.
Finding 6: Criminal charges tethered to the civil case timeline
The incident report documents three entries tying the criminal case to Fred Howell’s civil litigation. Charges paused when the civil case was going well (May 3). Charges filed when Joseph Cordaro hired a lawyer and fought back (May 17).
Incident Report narrative: April 24 complaint received, May 3 “tentatively resolved,” May 17 “not cooperating,” DA approves charges.
Incident Report narrative p.2: The three-entry timeline.
Am. Comp. ¶¶27–29 (page 13): “It is here that Attorney Howell began to use the criminal process as a cudgel.”
WNEP Newswatch 16, May 18, 2023: Rosina Cordaro announces restaurant closure — one year before the criminal complaint.
In May 2023, Rosina Cordaro appeared on WNEP and announced that she wanted to retire, that she “couldn’t find a buyer,” and that the restaurant would be torn down. The restaurant was Charlmaine’s property — the criminal complaint itself says Charlmaine “owns Cordaro’s Restaurant.” But Rosina spoke about it as her own retirement decision. The AutoZone contract for $570,000 had been signed in April 2022. The earliest documented evidence of Charlmaine’s cognitive impairment is the Bennett letter dated March 20, 2024. In 2023, no documented incapacity existed to trigger the springing POA.
Finding 7: The DA’s office confiscated a phone containing allegedly exculpatory video, then filed time-barred felonies from the same device
The complaint alleges Joseph Cordaro videotaped Charlmaine at Ellen Memorial to document her capacity. His phone was allegedly confiscated after arrest. The DA’s office found a call-recording app and filed 19 wiretapping counts from 2016, eight years past the five-year statute of limitations.
Am. Comp. ¶24 (page 11): Alleged videotape of Charlmaine at Ellen Memorial.
Am. Comp. ¶32 (page 15): Phone allegedly confiscated, wiretap charges from 2016.
PSI p.3: 19 wiretapping counts filed 10/09/2024.
Finding 8: Restitution set at the DA’s father’s legal bills
DA demanded $19,911.17 in restitution from two Howell Moran PLLC invoices. Fred Howell billed 12.0 hours at $300/hr. Mary Martin Moran billed 68.7 hours at $225/hr. Edwards imposed $9,955.50. Labeled “to Charlmaine Cordaro” on the docket.
Docket Page 3: “Restitution to Charlmaine Cordaro in the amount of $9,955.50.”
Docket Page 16: Restitution: $9,955.50 paid in full.
Billing Cover (Exhibit 4-4): “Two Sets of Invoices.” Civil matter and guardianship.
Civil Billing (Exhibit 4-4): Moran at $225/hr. Howell at $300/hr.
Finding 9: Restitution billing included Fred Howell’s hours meeting with the District Attorney
Fred Howell’s billing block-billed 7.0 hours at $300/hr. The entry lists meetings with “District Attorney” among the activities. The DA referenced is his son, A.G. Howell. Those hours were included in the restitution demand.
Civil Billing (Exhibit 4-4): Howell 7.0 hrs at $300, includes meeting with “District Attorney.”
Restitution Recommendation: $19,911.17 demanded. Signed by A.G. Howell.
Finding 10: Mary Martin Moran generated the majority of the bills the DA converted into criminal restitution
Moran billed 68.7 hours ($15,457.50) across both invoices. Howell billed 12.0 hours ($3,600). Moran’s time: 85% of total billable hours. Her brother Woodrow later represented Joseph Cordaro (see Finding 24).
Civil Billing: Moran 34.9 hrs at $225. Howell 7.0 hrs at $300.
Guardianship Billing: Moran 33.8 hrs at $225. Howell 5.0 hrs at $300.
Finding 11: Civil settlement operated as a condition of the criminal plea
The federal complaint (¶34) alleges the plea was conditioned on Joseph Cordaro signing a civil settlement with Rosina. He signed it October 25, 2024, nine days after the plea. The incident report documents the criminal process tracking the civil case.
Incident Report, Page 5: May 3: “tentatively resolved.” May 17: “not cooperating.” DA approves charges.
Am. Comp. ¶¶33–34 (page 15): Plea deal conditioned on civil settlement. Restitution = Fred Howell’s legal bills.
Am. Comp. ¶39 (page 17): Alleged mediation threat: “don’t make me have my son arrest your client again.”
Finding 12: The “fine only” plea colloquy and the actual sentence
The plea colloquy states “the Commonwealth has agreed to a sentence recommendation of a fine only.” The actual sentence: 12 months probation, $500 fine, $9,955.50 restitution, random drug testing, warrantless searches, 20 hours community service, $50/month supervision fee.
Docket Page 9: Nolo Contendere entered 10/17/2024. Plea Colloquy filed same day.
Docket Page 3: Full sentence conditions. Compare to “fine only” plea recommendation.
Finding 13: Defendant withdrew omnibus pretrial motions the same day he entered the plea
D’Andrea filed Omnibus Pre-Trial Motions on September 12, 2024. Edwards granted withdrawal on October 16. Nolo contendere plea entered October 17. The federal complaint (¶36) alleges the withdrawal was forced by the DA’s threat of 19 time-barred wiretapping counts.
Docket Page 9: Omnibus withdrawn 10/16. Nolo contendere 10/17.
Finding 14: DA nolle prossed the charge after extracting full payment and civil settlement
DA filed Motion for Nolle Prosequi on April 1, 2025. Edwards granted it the next day. Deed returned, POA revoked, civil settlement signed, restitution being paid, restaurant demolished. Charlmaine died twenty days later.
Docket Page 11: Nolle prosequi filed 04/01/2025. Edwards granted 04/02/2025.
Finding 15: Restitution included guardianship litigation unrelated to the criminal charge
File #24-231 was a guardianship petition filed months after the arrest. Moran billed 33.8 hours, Howell billed 5.0 hours. Total: $9,323.42. Restitution under 18 Pa.C.S. § 1106 is limited to losses from the criminal conduct.
Guardianship Billing (Exhibit 4-4): Total: $9,323.42. Unrelated to the criminal charge.
Finding 16: Dr. Bennett’s incapacity letter was faxed to Howell’s office before it was signed
The fax header: 12:43 PM. The electronic signature: 3:13 PM. The letter reached Howell’s office two and a half hours before Dr. Bennett signed it. This was the only medical evidence supporting the criminal charge.
Am. Comp. ¶21 (page 10): Dr. Bennett letter embedded in complaint. Fax time 12:43 PM, signature 3:13 PM.
Affidavit of Probable Cause: Bennett letter cited as basis for charges.
Finding 17: Fred Howell prepared, notarized, and later enforced a $1.00 deed transferring the restaurant property to his own client
The Charlmaine-to-Rosina deed (January 14, 2021) transferred four restaurant parcels for $1.00. Howell represented both parties, prepared the deed, and notarized it himself. No independent counsel or notary involved. This deed is the foundation of the civil suit, criminal prosecution, and restitution demand.
Deed Exhibit (Doc. 4-2): Charlmaine-to-Rosina deed, January 2021, $1.00.
Deed Exhibit: Notary block. Alfred J. Howell, Commission Number 1075181. Prepared by Howell & Howell.
Finding 18: Rosina used a springing POA before its trigger condition was met
The POA was “effective upon subsequent incapacity.” On October 7, 2016, Rosina signed a deed as POA for both parents. Philip Sr. was alive. No incapacity documentation existed until March 2024, eight years later. The deed was prepared by Howell’s firm.
Am. Comp. ¶13 (page 7): POA springing condition, acknowledgment timing.
Loan Quach Deed (Exhibit 2): October 7, 2016. Rosina signs as POA. $20,000.
Loan Quach Deed: Prepared by Howell, Howell & Krause.
Finding 19: Felony charge announced publicly, then dropped before docketing
The DA announced two charges publicly on June 25, 2024: Financial Exploitation of an Older Adult (F1, up to 20 years) and Securing Execution of Documents by Deception (M2). By the time the Information was filed six days later, only the misdemeanor survived. The docket shows a single count from start to finish.
Docket Page 2: Single count: M2, 18 § 4114. No felony on the docket.
Finding 20: Early termination of probation denied four days after filing, on a nolle prossed charge
The DA used a post-disposition nolle prosequi to undo a conviction that had already been entered, sentenced, and partially served. Under Pennsylvania practice, nolle prosequi is a pre-trial action. The standard post-conviction vehicles — PCRA petition or motion to vacate — require stating reasons on the record. A nolle prosequi does not. The docket labels the result “Nolle Prossed (Post-Disposition)” and “Not Final.”
Charge nolle prossed April 2, 2025. Probation continued. Cordaro remained under state supervision — drug-tested, subject to warrantless searches, paying $50/month supervision fees and $250/month restitution. Penalties satisfied July 9, 2025. Woodrow Martin filed for early termination July 24. Edwards denied it July 28. No hearing on the calendar. No further action by Martin after the denial. Cordaro served the full 12 months. Woodrow’s conflict of interest in this motion is examined in Finding 24.
Docket Page 12: Penalty Satisfied 07/09. Martin files early termination 07/24. Edwards denies 07/28.
Finding 21: Fred Howell’s financial interest in the outcome
Howell was allegedly estate administrator entitled to compensation tied to estate value. The AutoZone contract was $570,000. Joseph Cordaro’s deed and codicil would have killed that deal. The complaint alleges a 5% fee (Am. Comp. fn. 3); the audit has not independently verified the percentage.
Am. Comp. fn. 3 (page 4): “Attorney Fred Howell Sr. was the administrator of Charlmaine Cordaro’s last will and testament.”
Incident Report: Howell listed as complainant. Contract price $570,000.
Finding 22: The victim impact statement was written by Rosina, not the named victim
Header: “Your Name: Charlmaine Cordaro, P.O.A. By Rosina Cordaro.” Rosina requested incarceration, mental health evaluation, and “all attorney fees for civil and guardianship.” The financial impact worksheet lists no actual losses.
Victim Impact Statement p.1: Rosina’s narrative, written as Charlmaine’s POA.
Victim Impact Statement p.3: Handwritten addendum requesting attorney fees and guardianship costs.
Financial Impact Worksheet: Blank. No medical, property, or funeral expenses listed.
Finding 23: Pre-Sentence Investigation prepared by the Ellen Memorial nursing director’s son
PSI Investigating Officer: Ryan Altemier, Wayne County Adult Probation. His mother Tammy Altemier was Director of Nursing at Ellen Memorial, the facility at the center of the case. Relationship confirmed via the Robert L. Olver obituary (Tri-County Independent, February 2, 2016).
Robert L. Olver Obituary: Surviving children: “Tammy Altemier.” Grandchildren: “Ryan Altemier.”
PSI, Page 1 (Exhibit 4-3): Investigating Officer: Ryan Altemier. Drug/Alcohol Problems: No.
Ellen Memorial Healthcare Center Facebook post (August 22, 2025): Tammy Altemier retirement after 38 years. “She hired and trained so many of our great nurses that are still here today.”
Am. Comp. ¶24 (page 11): Supervisor allegedly shredded notarized documents at Ellen Memorial.
Finding 24: Woodrow Martin’s undisclosed conflict representing Cordaro
Woodrow Martin represented Joseph Cordaro on a motion to end probation. His sister Mary Martin Moran is Fred Howell’s law partner at Howell Moran PLLC. Restitution was a condition of that probation. The $9,955.50 restitution covered legal bills generated overwhelmingly by Mary — 68.7 of the 80.7 total hours billed at $225/hour. Woodrow represented the man court-ordered to pay his own sister’s billable hours, on a motion to end the probation under which those payments were being collected. Edwards denied the motion in four days. Woodrow filed no motion for reconsideration, no request for a hearing, no appeal. No conflict disclosure or waiver appears in the record. Sibling relationship confirmed on both Facebook profiles.
Docket Page 3: Attorney: Woodrow Augustus Martin. SC #333406.
Mary Moran (Martin): Facebook profile. Family members: Woodrow Martin listed as “Brother.”
Woodrow Martin: Facebook profile. Family members: Mary Moran listed as “Sister.”
Finding 25: Drug testing, warrantless searches, and supervision fees on a non-violent document offense
PSI (p.4): “denied the usage of any illegal substance,” “never participated in drug or alcohol treatment,” “Current Drug & Alcohol Problems: No.” Drug testing generated $63 in fees on a non-drug, non-violent document offense. The PSI was prepared by Ryan Altemier (see Finding 23), whose department administers the testing and collects the fees.
Docket Page 3: Drug testing condition. No substance abuse history in the record.
Docket Page 15: Drug Testing fees: $18 assessed, $63 paid.
Every line item paid to zero. Last payment January 6, 2026. $9,955.50 restitution, $500 fine, $600 OSP fee, $175 booking fee, $336.48 copy charges, $63 drug testing. Zero criminal history.
Docket Page 15: Full fee breakdown. Every line item: $0.00 balance.
Docket Page 16: Grand total: $12,024.73. All paid.
Finding 26: PSI noted pending detainers at sentencing from the wiretapping charges
“Detainers/Charges Pending: Yes” on the PSI cover page. The PSI identifies these as 19 wiretapping counts filed October 9, 2024. Edwards saw this before imposing sentence.
PSI cover page: “Detainers/Charges Pending: Yes.”
PSI p.3: 19 counts Intercept Communications, filed 10/09/2024, offense date 03/30/2016.
Finding 27: The DA’s office scrambled for transcripts after the federal suit was filed
Federal complaint filed April 21, 2026. DA requested transcripts April 23. Plea and sentencing transcripts produced April 29. Not requested during the eighteen months after sentencing.
Docket Page 13: DA requests transcripts 04/23/2026. Produced 04/29/2026.
Finding 28: Open question: Did the probation officer’s wife’s office touch the guardianship petition?
Mandy Altemier’s BCM office handles adult behavioral health case management in Wayne County. The guardianship petition generated $9,323.42 in bills charged as restitution. Whether her office was involved in the guardianship proceeding is unknown. The guardianship docket (#24-231) is not in the audit record.
Complete Criminal Docket: All 16 Pages
CP-64-CR-0000272-2024, Court of Common Pleas of Wayne County. Printed June 12, 2026.
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Complete First Amended Complaint: All 26 Pages
Cordaro v. Howell et al., Case 3:26-cv-01041-JKM (M.D. Pa.), Document 4, Filed April 30, 2026. Pages 1–26 of 26 (complaint text only; exhibits follow in the filing but are documented separately above under Findings 1–17).
Page 1: Caption/Cover
Page 2: Introduction (family history, civil action, criminal complaint)
Page 3: Introduction continued (incident report quotes)
Page 4: Introduction continued and Parties ¶¶1–2
Page 5: Parties ¶¶3–5 and Jurisdiction ¶¶6–9
Page 6: Facts ¶¶10–11 (family background)
Page 7: Facts ¶¶12–13 (Rosina’s dependence, POA history)
Page 8: Facts ¶¶14–16 (Loan Quach deed, Howell firm)
Page 9: Facts ¶¶17–18 (2017 meeting, Charlmaine’s concerns)
Page 10: Facts ¶¶19–21 (AutoZone contract, Dr. Bennett letter)
Page 11: Facts ¶¶22–24 (Ellen Memorial visits, document shredding)
Page 12: Facts ¶¶25–26 (April 21 visit, civil complaint filed)
Page 13: Facts ¶¶27–29 (criminal process as “cudgel”)
Page 14: Facts ¶¶30–31 (conflict acknowledged, Hower arrest statement)
Page 15: Facts ¶¶32–34 (wiretap threat, plea deal, restitution)
Page 16: Facts ¶¶35–38 (guardianship billing, nolo plea, settlement)
Page 17: Facts ¶¶39–40 and Count I (§1983 abuse of process)
Page 18: Count I continued ¶¶43–47
Page 19: Count II (common law abuse of process) ¶¶48–50
Page 20: Count II continued ¶¶51–54
Page 21: Count III (civil conspiracy) ¶¶53–56
Page 22: Count III continued ¶¶57–58
Page 23: Count IV (IIED) and Count V (denial of access to court)
Page 24: Count V relief and Count VI (tortious interference)
Page 25: Count VI ¶¶65–66 (media statements, jury demand)
Page 26: Attorney signature (Guzzardo, Romanow Law Group)
Relationship Map
Former DA — A.G. Howell was her ADA
Former public defender — John II, Mary Martin Moran’s relative, now holds that role
Former Missy Basketball commissioner — Mary now holds that role
Presided over every hearing in the Cordaro case
This page is part of a series by the Pocono Review on Commonwealth v. Joseph Cordaro.
If you have information relevant to this case or similar cases in Wayne County, contact tips@poconoreview.com.