Monday, January 26, 2009

CIAVARELLA AND CONAHAN PLEAD GUILTY TO CHARGES

The following information is being typed as part of the press conference by Martin Carlson available live on the net courtesy of WILK.

Judge Mark Ciavarella and Judge Michael Conahan will be issued a summons to appear before a court on charges of fraud and tax charges in connection with the construction and expansion of the PA Child Care juvenile detention center. The judges have entered into a plea agreement whereby they will serve a mandatory 87 months in prision. The charges entered today apply exclusively to the juvenile court system and specifically to these judges.

A serious of conceled payments, wire transfers and checks, totaling $2.6 million were made to the judges by two, as yet, unamed individuals with regards to the construction and expansion. The judges are accused of ordering juveniles into detention where they had a financial interest in spite of the fact that recommendations were made otherwise in the disposal of those cases. The money was paid to business interests belonging to the judges and were mischaracterized as to their nature.

The juvenile detention facilities include Luzerne County and western Pennsylvania.

The question of whether a person, public servant of the C o P, who violates public corruption is subject to state law concerning the of preservation their pension. The plea agreement requires the judges to make restitution in an amount to be deteremined by the court.

Further charges may be pending, however the agent in charge would not speculate as to their certainty. The press conference concluded at 2:02P.M.

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