Mon Valley District Judge Hopkins to retire
Scott Beveridge/Observer-Reporter
District Judge Larry Hopkins stand before his bench, where an electronic clock counts down to the time he will retire.
Eric Porter
Jack Manderino
Wayne Vlasic
CHARLEROI – District Judge Larry Hopkins performed a wedding a month after he took office in 2002 on the same day a young killer with a shocking story walked into his courtroom.
“It went from something happy to something very tragic,” said Hopkins, who is planning to retire in January after 18 years in office.
The room that day was packed with journalists, who let out a collective gasp when Hopkins read the charges against John Gebauer, 15, who later pleaded guilty to shooting and killing his adoptive mother and having sex with her corpse.
“That was the strangest thing,” Hopkins said Tuesday.
The Vietnam War veteran also worked as a borough police officer for 26 years.
Hopkins said his staff has been great to work beside to keep his court running smoothly.
“It’s been a good run,” he said.
Another member of the Charleroi Regional police force is preparing to run for this office.
Police Chief Eric Porter, 44, has announced his candidacy in both parties to replace Hopkins.
He has worked as an officer in Charleroi for 21 years, the last five as chief. He has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from California University of Pennsylvania.
Porter said “honesty, integrity, and fairness” are all key components that should be expected of every person coming into a courtroom.
He is the only candidate thus far to enter the race.
Meanwhile, two men have announced they are running for the district judge seat that was vacated last year in nearby Monessen by the retirement of Joseph Dalfonso.
Monessen city controller Wayne Vlasic has entered that race along with Monessen attorney Alan Jack Manderino.
“I want to serve as a magisterial district judge because I want to see that all persons coming before the court receive fair, respectful treatment and honest decisions based on the law and facts,” Manderino said.
Vlasic said he has “real world” experience as a former employee of Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel in its safety and plant protection department, where he focused on grievance and dispute resolution.