Leet commissioner fined for harassing worker; other charges dismissed

Two of the three charges filed against a Leet commissioner accused of engaging in inappropriate conduct with a woman he hired to do painting work were dismissed by a district judge on Tuesday.

In late September, Sewickley borough police charged Rody Nash, 63, by mail with misdemeanor counts of indecent assault and harassment along with a citation accusing him of harassment, according to court records.

The charges were originally filed in the court of Sewickley-area District Judge Robert Ford but the case was moved to District Judge Michele Santicola’s court in Coraopolis, records show.

During a Nov. 28 preliminary hearing before Santicola, the two misdemeanor charges were dismissed. Nash pleaded guilty to the harassment charge and paid a $100 fine and $147 in court costs, court records show.

According to a criminal complaint, the woman told police that Nash, who is a building contractor, hired her in May to do painting jobs.

She said Nash made inappropriate comments about her body and rubbed his hands on her back while they were at a property in Sewickley on Aug. 15, the complaint said.

Nash’s lawyer said his client is happy the case has been resolved.

“Mr. Nash was ostracized on social media as a result of these accusations, which was unfair and overblown,” said Stephen Colafella, who represented Nash at the preliminary hearing. “We’re happy that he got his day in court and were able to get the charges dropped and bring closure to this.”

Colafella said the decision to plead guilty to the summary harassment charge — which is the equivalent of a traffic citation — was “a compromise that we reached to agree to disagree.”

“Mr. Nash lives in this community and all he and his family wanted to do is put this episode behind them,” Colafella said. “So agreeing to pay the fine was a way to do that and get some closure.”