TimesLeader.com

August 16
Pa. disciplines 17 professionals from Luzerne County

They were among 517 statewide charged with violating state law or professional board regulations.

ANDREW M. SEDER aseder@timesleader.com

The Pennsylvania Department of State on Friday released the names of 517 licensed or commissioned professionals, including 17 from Luzerne County, disciplined for violating either state law or professional board regulations between March 1 and July 31.

They were cited by the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs, which oversees 27 boards and commissions that license more than one million professionals and businesses. Boards oversee a range of professions, including auctioneers, barbers, car salesmen, chiropractors, engineers, funeral directors and nurses.

Among those sanctioned was Lynette Villano, of West Pittston, the former head of the Luzerne County GOP who had her notary public license suspended for one year. That suspension was immediately stayed in favor of probation, and she was ordered to pay a civil penalty of $150 and an assessment of $600 for the costs of continued monitoring. She was cited for failing to maintain an accurate register of all official acts. The state disciplined her on June 6.

“I did wrong, there’s no doubt about it,” Villano said. “It was unintentional. It was an honest mistake. I paid my fine. It’s over. In the long run, I’m better for it. I went to school, took the class and learned how to do things correctly.”

Other Luzerne County professionals appearing on the disciplinary list:

• Joseph R. Mazzoni, of Dallas, ordered to pay a civil penalty of $1,000 for practicing public accounting without a current and active license. He was cited June 10 by the state Board of Accountancy.

• Joselle Ann Confair, of Nescopeck, had her residential real estate appraiser certification suspended for a minimum of 30 days, effective June 11. She was assessed a $1,000 civil penalty, and was directed to complete 15 hours of remedial coursework for “performing a real estate appraisal that did not conform to the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice.” She was cited by the Board of Certified Real Estate Appraisers.

• Two Kingston nail salons were cited. Nails Plus was ordered to pay a $950 civil penalty because it “employed an unlicensed individual, failed to have all licenses available at time of inspection, used the salon for other purposes, and lacked required equipment and supplies.” Tommy V. Nguyen d/b/a Tommy’s Nail Salon, had his licenses to practice as a nail technician, to operate a nail technology salon, and to operate an esthetician salon permanently revoked because he pleaded guilty to a felony in federal court. The actions against both companies were taken July 7 by the Board of Cosmetology.

• Elizelda Kyttle, of Dallas, was ordered to pay a civil penalty of $1,500 because “while trading and doing business as Salon Nouveau,” she “practiced cosmetology in a grossly incompetent or unethical manner” by using metal razor tools in the practice of cosmetology.” The Board of Cosmetology took action March 3.

• Praveen N. Adhyapak, M.D., of Wilkes-Barre, had his license revoked after Massachusetts took disciplinary action against his license to practice medicine there. The action was taken April 30 by the state Board of Medicine.

• Carleton Novak, no town given, was suspended of his notary commission for six months, which was immediately stayed in favor of probation. He paid $300 for the costs of continued monitoring, because he “failed to keep and maintain custody and control of an accurate chronological register of all official acts done by virtue of the notary’s office.” The action was taken July 9 by the Board of Notary Public.

• Cheryl Donnelly, of Laflin, was suspended for no less than three years. The suspension was immediately stayed in favor of no less than three years of probation. The suspension was “because Donnelly is unable to practice nursing with reasonable skill and safety to patients” because of an unspecified ailment. The action was taken by the Board of Nursing on May 7.

That same board also took action against two other nurses:

• Sharon Telban, R.N., of Avoca. She agreed to pay a civil penalty of $1,000 for practicing while her nursing license was expired. The action was taken April 7.

• Margaret A. Gorham, R.N., of Sugar Notch, was indefinitely suspended and after six months, the suspension may be stayed in favor of no less than three years of probation. The action, taken May 7, was for misappropriating drugs from an employer or patient.

The Board of Podiatry took action against:

• Barry G. Bernstein of Plains on June 18. He was ordered to complete seven hours of continuing education within six months and he paid a $500 civil penalty, because he “failed to complete 30 hours of continuing education in timely and acceptable courses and programs in the profession.”

• Lawrence J. Kansky, D.P.M., of Mountain Top, on April 16. He voluntarily surrendered his license to practice podiatry for after pleading no contest to prescription drug charges and receiving probation in December.

The Real Estate Commission took action against the following:

• Luis R. Gilces, of Avoca, was suspended pursuant to the Order of the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County dated April 11, 2008, which the court issued under section 4355 of the Domestic Relations Code. That section of the code deals with failure to make required support payments. The suspension was effective April 24.

• John G. Rokosz, Robert L. Besecker, and Mericle Commercial RE Group, Inc., of Wilkes-Barre, were ordered to pay a total civil penalty of $4,000. Mericle paid $1,000; Besecker $1,000 and Rokosz $2,000. The disciplinary action report said the penalties were because “Rokosz failed to promptly, on receipt of a deposit or other moneys on any transaction in which he was engaged on behalf of his broker-employer, pay over the deposit to the broker; Besecker failed to exercise adequate supervision over the activities of his licensed salespersons or associate brokers within the scope of the act; and Mericle failed to exercise adequate supervision over the activities of its licensed salespersons or associate brokers within the scope of this act. Action was taken June 18.

Want to file a report?

Anyone who suspects unlicensed activity by an individual or facility, or who has been a victim of unethical treatment, can file a complaint either online or through the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs hotline at 1-800-822-2113.