Joe Biden has drawn sharp criticism from Pennsylvanians after commuting the sentence of former Judge Michael Conahan, who was convicted in the infamous “kids-for-cash” scandal.
Conahan, once a Luzerne County judge, was jailed for 17 years for taking kickbacks to funnel juveniles into for-profit detention centers.
The scandal, uncovered in the late 2000s, is considered Pennsylvania’s largest judicial corruption case.
WOW.
One of the people who got their sentenced commuted by Biden today was one of the Kids-for-Cash judges.
He accepted big kickbacks in exchange for sentencing kids to a for-profit prison.
Over 2,500 children were impacted by these corrupt judges and some of them ended up… pic.twitter.com/B1mv1hvMkq
— Yashar Ali (@yashar) December 13, 2024
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Alongside another judge, Mark Ciavarella, Conahan orchestrated a scheme that led to over 2,300 juvenile convictions being overturned and the lives of countless families upended.
The scheme began in 2002, when Conahan closed a state-run juvenile detention facility and diverted county funds to lease two private, for-profit centers: PA Child Care and Western PA Child Care.
Ciavarella, who presided over juvenile court, enforced a strict zero-tolerance policy, sentencing children as young as 8 years old to detention for minor infractions like truancy, petty theft, and smoking on school grounds.
Many of the children, often first-time offenders, were immediately shackled and sent away without the opportunity to mount a defense or say goodbye to their families.
The two judges were paid a combined $2.8 million in kickbacks by individuals tied to the detention centers.
Robert Powell, a former attorney who co-owned the facilities, paid $770,000 in bribes, while real estate developer Robert K. Mericle paid $2.1 million.
In 2010, Conahan pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy and was sentenced to 17 years in federal prison. Ciavarella was sentenced to 28 years on charges of honest services mail fraud.
Conahan, 72, was released to home confinement in 2020 due to COVID-19 concerns but still had six years remaining on his sentence.
Biden commuted his sentence Thursday as part of the largest single-day act of clemency in modern U.S. history, in which nearly 1,500 individuals received commutations and 39 were granted pardons.
In a statement accompanying the clemency orders, Biden said, “My Administration will continue reviewing clemency petitions to advance equal justice under the law, promote public safety, support rehabilitation and reentry, and provide meaningful second chances.”
The decision has sparked outrage in Pennsylvania, particularly among those who were directly affected by Conahan’s actions.
Sandy Fonzo, whose son took his own life after being sent to one of the detention centers, called Biden’s decision an “injustice” and “deeply painful.”
“I am shocked and I am hurt,” Fonzo told The Citizens Voice. “Conahan’s actions destroyed families, including mine, and my son’s death is a tragic reminder of the consequences of his abuse of power. This pardon feels like an injustice for all of us who still suffer.”
Fonzo’s statement reflects the lingering pain and trauma caused by the scandal, which led to lawsuits, overdoses, and suicides among former juvenile detainees.
HEARTBREAKING moment Sandy Fonzo confronted a judge who was part of the kids-for-cash scheme where 2 judges were receiving millions of dollars to send kids to for-profit prisons.
Her son ended up committing suicide.
Biden just commuted the sentence of one of the judges.
Can… pic.twitter.com/pkylK7O8sY
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) December 13, 2024
In 2022, a federal judge ordered Conahan and Ciavarella to pay over $200 million in damages to nearly 300 victims.
However, it is unlikely that the victims, now adults, will see much of the compensation.
Powell, one of the individuals who financed the scheme, served an 18-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to related charges.
Mericle, the developer who facilitated payments to the judges, served one year in federal prison.
The clemency for Conahan has reignited questions about accountability and justice for those who exploited their power at the expense of vulnerable children. As Fox News reported, the White House has yet to comment on the backlash to Biden’s decision.
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