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Pocono News Section
Latest in Luzerne County Schools Investigation
Latest in Luzerne County Schools Investigation - Tuesday, April 28, 2009 at 5:55PM EST
WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY- Questions are being raised about the status of a Wilkes-Barre Area School Director. He's facing federal corruption charges. Brian Dunn was charged one week ago. As of today, he remains on the school board.
Dunn is accused of accepting tens of thousands of dollars in kickbacks in exchange for hiring teachers and awarding school contracts. He's been on the school board for more than a decade and it appears he will remain on the board unless he is convicted, or voluntarily steps down.
Attorney Anthony Lupas is solicitor for the Wilkes-Barre Area School District. He says the Pennsylvania constitution is clear on the matter. "Once they are convicted of bribery, embezzling money or crimes of the like, they will be ineligible to serve. They can be removed as school director."
Dunn was the second Luzerne County school official charged by the U. S. Attorney's office. A week earlier, Dr. Ross Scarantino, the Superintendent of Schools in Pittston, was also charged, accused of taking kick-backs to steer school district contracts.
Sources close to the investigation tell the I-Team that more Luzerne County school officials will be charged in the near future.
Eyewitness News spoke to Wilkes-Barre Superintendent Dr. Jeff Namey, who has already testified before a federal grand jury and handed over school records.
He put out a district wide order to managers. "We are cooperating fully with that investigation. We brought our administrators together a week ago and indicated to each one to cooperate fully with whatever was requested. They are to get information, whatever information is needed, we will provide that information," says Namey. | | |
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