Pocono News Section

Carpet Installer Pleads Guilty to Bribing Board Member

Carpet Installer Pleads Guilty to Bribing Board Member - Tuesday, January 19, 2010 at 6:05PM EST

Reported by: Andy Mehalshick
Tuesday, Jan 19, 2010 @ 06:05pm EST
WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY -- Richard Emanski plead guilty Tuesday for his role in the Luzerne County corruption case. He's a well known businessman who admitted to paying a bribe to win a contract with a school district.

This is all part of the "pay to play" game in Luzerne County. Now Emanski faces prison time.

Richard Emanski walked into federal court in Scranton Tuesday afternoon. He is owner of King Glass & Paint Company in Swoyersville. His company got a contract with the Wilkes-Barre Area School District.

In federal court Emanski admitted he installed carpeting inside the home of an unnamed Wilkes-Barre Area School Director as a reward for getting a contract with the district.

The FBI says the pay to pay deal was made between November of 2004 and January of 2005. The value of the carpeting and the installation was between $1,000 and $5,000.

Emanski faces 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He is free on his own recognizance.