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Pocono News Section
12th Person Charged in Corruption Scandal
12th Person Charged in Corruption Scandal - Tuesday, September 1, 2009 at 7:10PM EST
Reported by: Andy Mehalshick
Tuesday, Sep 1, 2009 @ 07:10pm EST
WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY -- A federal grand jury in Scranton has indicted Luzerne County Jury Commissioner Gerald Bonner for allegedly accepting a bribe.
Bonner is accused of accepting a bribe to steer contracts within the Luzerne County Housing Authority. Investigators say the business had to pay to play.
Bonner was indicted by a federal grand jury Tuesday. He is accused of taking money to make sure certain contracts were awarded to a yet unnamed business. He is one of five board members who decide who gets housing authority contracts and how authority money is spent.
According to investigators, Bonner accepted money, less than $5,000, from a yet unnamed business, and gave that money to another yet unnamed board member, to reward them for a contract that had been awarded and to make sure they continue to get business.
Officials at the Housing Authority had no comment, saying they were reviewing the indictment.
Bonner is also an elected Luzerne County Jury Commissioner. He is one of two people who oversee the jury selection. He makes sure there are enough people to fill the needs of the courts.
President Judge Chester Muroski issued this statement:
“The court shall ensure that Mr. Bonner refrains from any participation in any jury selection matters.”
As word of Bonner's indictment spread, people again were talking. "I'm getting more and more used to it. Every day there's another one. I wish they would get to the bottom already," said Josh Cramer of Mountain Top.
Emil Hollock added, "There's more than that to come yet. This place has been crooked. If you didn't know the right people, you never got no place. You never go no place."
Bonner is not accused of any wrongdoing at the Luzerne County Courthouse. And the court has no jurisdiction over his position since he was elected. He is up for re-election. It is a four year term which pays $10,000 a year.
Bonner is the 12th person to be indicted in the ongoing corruption investigation at the Luzerne County Courthouse. | | |
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