Pocono News Section

Grand Jury Indicts Wilkes-Barre School Board President

Grand Jury Indicts Wilkes-Barre School Board President - Tuesday, September 15, 2009 at 4:20PM EST

Reported by: Eyewitness News
Tuesday, Sep 15, 2009 @ 04:20pm EDT
SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY -- A federal grand jury in Scranton has indicted Wilkes-Barre Area School Board President Frank Pizzella, Jr. on conspiracy charges.

The grand jury alleges the conspiracy took place in 2004, which is before Pizzella was elected to the school board. They say he passed $5,000 from a prospective teacher's father-in-law to a school board member in exchange for that teacher receiving a job in the district. The board member who received that money is not named in the indictment.

Pizzella is the third Wilkes-Barre Area School Board member to be indicted. Brian Dunn and James Height have already pleaded guilty to taking bribes in exchange for district contracts.

Pizzella is the 14th person to face charges in the Luzerne County corruption probe.