FORMER SUPERINTENDENT OF THE PITTSTON AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT SENTENCED TO 13 MONTHS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR ACCEPTING CASH IN CONNECTION WITH A SCHOOL CONTRACT

Dennis Pfannenschmidt, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, announced that Ross Scarantino, 64, of Duryea and former Superintendent of the Pittston Area School District, was sentenced to 13 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Court Judge Thomas I. Vanaskie for accepting $5,000 in cash in connection with support he provided to a contractor in connection with the contractor obtaining a contract with the Pittston Area School District.

Judge Vanaskie also ordered that Scarantino pay a $15,000 fine and be placed on supervised release for two years after serving his prison sentence. Scarantino must also pay a $100 special assessment.

In announcing the latest developments in this public corruption probe, Pfannenschmidt stated: “We are gratified by the fair and appropriate sentence imposed today by Judge Vanaskie. A school superintendent who abuses his power for his own self-interests not only breaks the law, but also breaks the oath he took to educate children. The lesson today is that no educator is above the law.”

This case is part of an on-going investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service and is being prosecuted by a team of federal prosecutors led by Senior Litigation Counsel Gordon Zubrod and includes Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Houser, Michael Consiglio, Amy Phillips and Criminal Division Chief Christian Fisanick. U.S. Attorney Pfannenschmidt praised the agents and prosecutors for their continued efforts in this ongoing investigation.

****