Two former Pennsylvania judges implicated in a “kids-for-cash” scandal on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to federal racketeering charges.Former Luzerne County judges Mark Ciavarella Jr. and Michael Conahan are accused of taking millions of dollars in payments related to the construction of two juvenile detention facilities.
They had agreed to plead guilty in February to honest services fraud and tax evasion in a deal with prosecutors that called for 87-month prison sentences, far below federal guidelines.
But a federal judge rejected the deal last month, saying Conahan, 57, and Ciavarella, 59, hadn’t fully accepted responsibility for the crimes. They switched their pleas to not guilty, and prosecutors secured a 48-count indictment that includes racketeering, bribery and extortion charges.
At their arraignment Tuesday, prosecutors also asked U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas M. Blewitt to tighten bail conditions for both former judges, claiming they had tried to protect assets and are now more likely to flee.
Full Article and Source:
Former PA Judges Implicated in "Kids for Cash" Plead Not Guilty to 48 Counts
See also:
Ex-Judges Facing Wrath of RICO
Judged Indicted in Fraud-Scheme
Judges Plead Guilty
Class Action Against Judges
When Judges Stain Our Kids
Kickback Scheme Judges Sued
Alleged Public Corruption
4 comments:
Former Luzerne County judges Mark Ciavarella Jr. and Michael Conahan have earned harsh punishment.
These two crooks should be dumped into a snake pit and let nature take it's course.
Just looking at their photos knowing what they did (and what else did they do and to whom?)makes me want to V O M I T!
Didn't we expect a "not guilty" plea out of these cowards?!
You're right, Anon 2, they're not man enough to stand up and tell the truth.
"Cowards" is exactly right.
Ciavarella and Conahan should both have dark circles under their eyes from not being able to sleep -- the guilt should be written all over their faces.
But, it's not.
They have no conscience.
For how many years did they have no conscience? How many years back are their cases being investigated?
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