A 40-year-old Pahoa man believed to be the sole suspect in the slaying of his mother is a lawyer who was allowed to resign from practice in California with disciplinary action pending and later disbarred in New York.
Sean Alan Rutledge, aka Alan Frank, was disbarred by the state Supreme Court in New York on Nov. 26, 2013, based on an order by the Supreme Court of California on July 13, 2011, accepting Rutledge’s resignation from the practice of law with charges pending.
According to the disbarment order, Rutledge legally changed his name to Frank in Hawaii in 2011.
Rutledge stepped down in 2009 as managing director of United Law Group in Irvine, Calif., amid allegations of malpractice representing homeowners in California and other states who were in default on mortgage payments or in foreclosure proceedings.
The Bar Court in California found on Nov. 6, 2009, that Rutledge’s conduct “posed a substantial threat of harm to his clients or the public.”
Rutledge also faced at least three legal actions in Ohio, including a civil judgment against his firm for more than $81,000. Allegations include the firm allegedly collected fees up front and failed to deliver promised services. According to then-Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray, at least one consumer was forced into a foreclosure as a result. It also was alleged the lawyers in Rutledge’s firm were not licensed to practice in Ohio.
Rutledge and United Law Group also were issued a “cease and desist” order by the Department of Financial Institutions Division of Consumer Services in Washington state.
Rutledge was arrested by Big Island police Wednesday morning on a California extradition warrant after his 63-year-old mother, Nadean Rutledge, was found dead with what police called suspicious injuries outside her Kapoho home early Tuesday evening. Police had issued an all-points bulletin describing Sean Rutledge as “armed and dangerous.”
At a hearing Friday afternoon before Hilo Circuit Judge Glenn Hara, Rutledge waived his right to an extradition hearing. A hearing for further proceedings on the extradition warrant was set for 1:30 p.m. Sept. 23 before Hilo Circuit Judge Greg Nakamura. That hearing will occur only if California authorities don’t pick up Rutledge, who is being held without bail, before then.
When asked by the judge if he was known by any other name, Rutledge replied, “No.”
Deputy Prosecutor Kevin Hashizaki told the court Rutledge is wanted in California for a parole violation on a conviction for a criminal threat to cause great bodily injury.
“You understand the state of California has a warrant out for you with respect to … an allegation of parole violation?” Hara asked Rutledge.
“I’m not sure if they have a warrant or not. I’m not actually on parole,” Rutledge replied. “But I was on parole and it has been completed, so it may be some type of error, paperwork error, or something like that. But I do not know if they have an actual warrant or paperwork issued.”
Rutledge’s attorney, Patrick Munoz, told the judge he had reviewed the warrant with his client. Munoz then consulted off-record with Rutledge, who then told the judge, “OK, I understand there is an allegation I have a warrant in the state of California.”
As of press time, neither Rutledge, nor anyone else, had been arrested or charged for the slaying of Nadean Rutledge. Four plainclothes police officers or detectives, including Detective Grant Todd, the lead detective in the murder investigation, were present in the courtroom, however, a rare occurrence in an extradition proceeding of this nature.
All four declined to comment afterward, as did Hashizaki.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.