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June 26, 2009

Judge scandal featured online

Ciavarella, Conahan cases listed on regional federal prosecutor’s Web site.

By Jerry Lynott jlynott@timesleader.com
Business Writer
Jerry Lynott on Facebook | @TLJerryLynott on Twitter

The ongoing Luzerne County public corruption probe has top billing on the regional federal prosecutor’s Web site.

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On the web

Luzerne County Corruption Prosecutions page

Done as a public service by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, the information also is provided under a court order for victims of the crimes committed by former judges Mark A. Ciavarella and Michael T. Conahan.

Earlier this month a federal judge granted the request by the U.S. Attorney’s Office to use its Web site to provide overviews of the former judges’ cases, court pleadings and a list of victims’ rights.

On June 8 Senior U.S. District Judge Edwin Kosik ordered that the crime victim notification information be available until further notice. A contact person and address are posted, as well as a phone number for people to provide tips to the corruption task force.

Ciavarella and Conahan head the list of nine people snared to date by federal authorities. The two men are free awaiting sentencing for their guilty pleas to participating in a $2.6 million kickback scheme involving the construction of two juvenile detention centers and placement of youths in the facilities.

In addition to Ciavarella and Conahan, the special section contains information on the cases of William T. Sharkey Sr., former county court administrator; Sandra Brulo, former deputy director of forensic services for the county juvenile probation office; Jill Moran, former county prothonotary; Brian Dunn, Wilkes-Barre Area school board director; James Height, former Wilkes-Barre Area school board director; Ross Scarantino, superintendent of the Pittston Area school district; and attorney Robert Powell.