Posted on 04/16/2009 8:06:33 PM PDT by Born Conservative
Pittston Area School District Superintendent Ross Scarantino faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted of the corruption charge brought against him today in U.S. District Court, according to a statement from U.S. District Attorney Martin C. Carlson. Scarantino was charged with taking thousands of dollars in kickbacks in exchange for steering contracts to an unnamed individual. The FBI alleges Scarantino "unlawfully corruptly [accepted] or [agreed] to accept" the kickbacks in February 2008 in exchange for contracts worth at least $5,000. The bureau's affidavit associated with the allegations has been sealed by court order.
Pittston Area is the third public education institution in Luzerne County visited by the FBI this month as part of an ongoing corruption probe.
Earlier this month, the agency subpoenaed the minutes from Wilkes-Barre Area School Board meetings and lists of employees hired during the last five years and obtained the names of members of the joint operating committee at the Wilkes-Barre Area Career and Technical Center. The center offers vocational and technical classes for students from five local school districts, including Wilkes-Barre Area and Pittston Area.
Wilkes-Barre Area Superintendent Dr. Jeffrey T. Namey appeared before the federal grand jury in a closed-door session last week in Scranton. Namey declined comment on his testimony.
FBI agents also interviewed recently hired teachers from at least two Wilkes-Barre Area schools, Wilkes-Barre Area School Board President Jim Height said.
Earlier today, Scarantino submitted a request for a leave of absence effective immediately, solicitor Joseph Saporito said.
In the request, Scarantino wrote that he needed the time off "for personal reasons," but did not state how long he would be gone, nor give any indication of impending charges, Saporito said.
"It's not a resignation, it's a request for leave," Saporito said.
Scarantino did not discuss his need for time off at recent school board meetings or with other district officials, Saporito said.
Scarantino has spent 41 years in education, 40 of them with Pittston Area, according to state records. His salary for the 2007-2008 school year was $110,073.
Scarantino's position will be filled by an acting superintendent to be appointed by the school board at its regularly scheduled monthy meeting next Tuesday, Saporito said.
"It's imperative that the board name someone to fill that role," Saporito said. "I would advise them to do that and I am certain the board members would want to do that as well."
Board Vice President Anthony Guariglia said he was upset when he learned this afternoon of the allegations facing Scarantino.
"I'm dumbfounded. it's absolutely shocking, absolutely unbelievable," he said.
"I've been on the board a year and a half and I've always been proud of the work we've done in putting kids first and I'm sure we're going to keep doing that, putting kids first.”
George Cosgrove, a district administrator who has worked under Scarantino in various capacities for 36 years, said the news of the superintendent's arrest put him "in a shock."
"I'm totally surprised and we're just trying to gather our thoughts together right now," Cosgrove said from his office at the school district's headquarters in Yatesville as he read details of the charge on a news Web site.
"We come to work every day and I meet with him and speak with him," Cosgrove said. "There was nothing at all" to indicate Scarantino was involved in the contract fixing alleged by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Cosgrove, the district principal, described Scarantino as the "the face of Pittston Area," was well-liked by students, teachers and parents, and a fixture at the district's athletic, musical and cultural events.
"He was at virtually everything he could be at," Cosgrove said.
"He was a terrific educational leader," Cosgrove said. "He always had the best interests of the students in mind. I've been here 36 years and he's been my supervisor one way or another for those 36 years. He always put the students first."
Scarantino tracked educational trends and molded the district's teaching philosophy around advances in technology, Cosgrove said.
Cosgrove said has temporarily taken over Scarantino's administrative duties, "fielding questions, calls, dealing with the district business." The school board will decide next Tuesday on an interim replacement of Scarantino.
"It's only been a few hours really," Cosgrove said. "The board of education will decide how they want to proceed from here."
The FBI is staying busy up here in Northeast PA...
Prayer bump
As in “they don’t have a prayer” or as “pray for the corrupt souls in this county”?
right response, wrong thread (blush)
My very first ever post on FR was like that.... I read something then responded on the wrong thread.....;^)
I’ve done it before as well. :-)
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