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Spinozza

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Read the Spinozza information filing (PDF)
Read Spinozza's plea agreement (PDF)
Read Spinozza's defendant statement (PDF)
Read the Spinozza waiver of indictment (PDF)

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HANOVER TOWNSHIP - A Hanover Area school director charged with accepting a bribe in exchange for the awarding of a contract is scheduled to plead guilty to the charge next Monday.

U.S. District Judge Edwin Kosik scheduled the plea hearing for Anthony Spinozza for 9:30 a.m. in the federal courthouse in Scranton.

The U.S. Attorney's office today charged Spinozza, 59, of Hanover Township, with accepting at least $5,000 from a contractor in exchange for exerting influence that led to the awarding of a contract within the district. The contractor  was not identified in court documents.

HANOVER TOWNSHIP - The Hanover Area School District issued a statement this morning vowing to cooperate with federal authorities following the announcement of charges filed against long time school board member Anthony Spinozza.

The statement says the school district was not contacted by federal authorities prior to Spinozza's arrest, nor were any documents ever requested.

"The Hanover Area School District's mission of excellence in education must be pursued with commitment, integrity and consistency and the school board, administration and faculty are committed to that mission without reservation," the statement says.

Spinozza, who has served on the board since 1999, was charged with accepting a bribe of at least $5,000 in exchange for helping a contractor obtain a contract within the district. The offense was committed between May and October 2008, according to court papers filed by the U.S. Attorney's Office. The documents do not name the contractor.

Spinozza, 59, of Wilkes-Barre, has agreed to plead guilty to the charge and to resign from the board. Federal sentencing guidelines call for a sentence of 12 to 18 months, but Spinozza could be sentenced up to the maximum of 10 years.

Spinozza is the 18th person, and sixth area school official, to be charged in connection with the ongoing corruption probe in Luzerne County.

Posted 10:31 a.m.

According to documents filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court, Hanover Area School Director Anthony Spinozza will plead guilty to accepting a bribe from a contractor that performed work for the school district.

As a member of the school board, federal prosecutors allege that Spinozza accepted a bribe of at least $5,000 between May 1 and October 1 of 2008. The contractor was not named in the documents.

The charges carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

For the entire story, read Thursday's The Times Leader.