Mark Ciavarella Jr., Judge, Gets 28 Years In 'Kids For Cash' Case

By MICHAEL RUBINKAM

SCRANTON, Pa. (Associated Press) — A longtime northeastern Pennsylvania judge has been ordered to spend nearly three decades in prison for his role in a massive juvenile justice bribery scandal that prompted the state's high court to toss thousands of convictions.

Former Luzerne County Judge Mark Ciavarella Jr. was sentenced Thursday to 28 years in federal prison for taking $1 million in bribes from the builder of a pair of juvenile detention centers in a case that became known as "kids-for-cash."

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court tossed about 4,000 convictions issued by Ciavarella between 2003 and 2008, saying he violated the constitutional rights of the juveniles, including the right to legal counsel and the right to intelligently enter a plea.

Ciavarella, 61, was tried and convicted of racketeering charges earlier this year. His attorneys had asked for a "reasonable" sentence in court papers, saying, in effect, that he's already been punished enough.

"The media attention to this matter has exceeded coverage given to many and almost all capital murders, and despite protestation, he will forever be unjustly branded as the `Kids for Cash' judge," their sentencing memo said.

Federal prosecutors accused Ciavarella and a second judge, Michael Conahan, of taking more than $2 million in bribes from the builder of the PA Child Care and Western PA Child Care detention centers and extorting hundreds of thousands of dollars from the facilities' co-owner.

Ciavarella, known for his harsh and autocratic courtroom demeanor, filled the beds of the private lockups with children as young as 10, many of them first-time offenders convicted of petty theft and other minor crimes.

The judge remained defiant after his arrest, insisting the payments were legal and denying he incarcerated youths for money.

The jury returned a mixed verdict following a February trial, convicting him of 12 counts, including racketeering and conspiracy, and acquitting him of 27 counts, including extortion. The guilty verdicts related to a payment of $997,600 from the builder.

Conahan, meanwhile, pleaded guilty last year and awaits sentencing.

Comments

[avg american]

10:50 AM on 08/15/2011

This is 2011. These incidences occurred in 2003.

Why did so many people have to suffer before it was stopped?

Our government was built on checks and balances. What is the check and balance for our judicial branch? Is our broken congress the only way to remove a corrupt sitting justice?

What safety net does the public have from corrupt judges?

[Alexander DeWolf]

11:47 PM on 08/15/2011

None.

[keezze]

09:10 PM on 08/14/2011

Another reason to legalize pot. I hear kids in hick states can spend 5 pluss years in the joint for a seed or joint. Curuption runs amuck between law enforcement, the court system the lawyers and the jails. Enough is enough, shameful.

[glomtt]

05:53 PM on 08/14/2011

This is a direct result of the privitization of our Prison Systems. Privitization only creates a bigger incentive for incarceration. When Privitization is involved, some members of our judicial system and government are compensated very well for it.

[glomtt]

05:46 PM on 08/14/2011

His attorneys had asked for a "reasonable" sentence in court papers, saying, in effect, that he's already been punished enough.

What! As far as I'm concerned he should rot in prison, for destroying lives, his abuse of judicial power and greed. This story should be on the front page!

[cas2dy]

05:23 PM on 08/14/2011

This is not a new type of crime, evidently. I saw an episode on one of those criminal justice series and it mimicked this scenario entirely. I don't know if the writers of that show had an inside scoop on this investigation or if perhaps it is just such a common practice. Sad to think that a 10 year old girl who has never even spent the night away from her Mom and Dad or her own bed could get into a fight in school against a bully, win, and then find herself in this situation. Innocense gone...trust gone...feeling that Mommy and Daddy can protect me...gone.

[Omeezee]

02:41 PM on 08/14/2011

What about the builders/owners of the facilities?

[Valerie McCoy]

06:31 PM on 08/13/2011

Who cares what politcal party he's affilated with? He took advantage of young children. Shouldn't we be more concerned with the victims in this turn of events rather than some political affilation of a no good pompous crook?

[glomtt]

05:56 PM on 08/14/2011

Normally, I would say the same thing, but it's the republican party mostly that is for privitization. Privitization of our Prison systems, Schools, and Outsourcing. It Is What It Is!

[heckmepitus]

10:59 PM on 08/12/2011

If the politician's political party is not mentioned in the first paragraph, guarantied he is a Democrat.

[glomtt]

05:57 PM on 08/14/2011

LOL Wrong! And it's republicans that are running around trying to privitize everything! Try again!

[joanneb]

11:10 AM on 08/15/2011

Biography: (from WIKIPEDIA) Ciavarella is a lifelong resident of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, having been raised in the East End section of the city and attending St. Mary's High School. After graduating from the local King's College he attended Duquesne University School of Law, receiving his law degree in 1975. Ciavarella entered private legal practice, becoming a partner in the firm of Lowery, Ciavarella and Rogers. From 1976 to 1978 he was city solicitor and then from 1978 until 1995 he served as solicitor for the city zoning board. In 1995 he ran for judge in Luzerne County on the Democratic ticket and was elected to a ten year term. He was re-elected to a second ten year term in 2005. Ciavarella was also active in several civic and Catholic organizations. He is married to the former Cindy Baer and the couple have three children.[1]

[heckmepitus]

10:57 PM on 08/12/2011

A former Democrat Pennsylvania juvenile judge was sentenced to 28 years in prison Thursday after being convicted for a scheme to make millions off unjustly incarcerating young people, court officials said.

Former Democratic Luzerne County Judge Mark Ciavarella was also ordered by a federal judge in Pennsylvania to pay about $1 million in restitution.

The sentence was four times the 87 months sentence that Ciavarella and federal prosecutors had agreed to when he pleaded guilty to charges in 2009.

Democrat Ciavarella was found guilty in February of 12 of 39 racketeering and fraud charges for accepting millions of dollars in bribes from friends who owned detention centers to which he sent juveniles.

[Brenda Be]

01:40 AM on 08/15/2011

if this is factual information then thank you, but please provide a link that PROVES thepolitical affiliation of this judge, whom you labelled by party as many times as humanly possible in your comment. you label does not prove the affiliation.

[eddiesoil]

10:12 PM on 08/12/2011

this is where this country is headed--arrogance at the top--by police and the courts--how about the cops who arrested a juvinile for stealing nutmeg or making fun of a teacher on the internet--or the da for prosecuting these lame cases--it seems common sense doesnt have a place in law enfocement anymore----arrogance by people with power

[capstan]

09:09 PM on 08/12/2011

This goes back to at least 2003! Eight years ago. Why did it take so long to nail this guy. Justice delayed, is justice denied. He should have already served a good five years or more. If this hadn't captured some media attention, it would still be going on!

[guardstar360]

04:42 PM on 08/12/2011

It's time we take back control of the prison system and make it unpalatable for cooks to exploit. these types of problems will escalate if we don't stomp them out before the rear their ugly heads in the future . this is the same type of criminals involved in war contracts ,and private contractor firms . If left unchecked, we all one day may end up one as of their customers.

[Godweiser]

04:29 PM on 08/12/2011

I can hear the toothbrush handles being sharpened now boys. Jail is such a nice place for pasty, portly, sixtysomething slavers... I imagine some of the guys you put in juvie are going to be so theeeee-rillled to see you.

Happy showers!

[docgiman1]

04:21 PM on 08/12/2011

Throw away the key!

[cobraxus]

02:32 PM on 08/12/2011

he's already suffered enough!my god I would've smacked his attorney for saying that.let the miserable little creep spend the rest of his worthless life in jail.it's where he(and other judges like him)belong.