Another school district has now been connected to the Luzerne County corruption probe.
A school board member at Hanover Area has agreed to plead guilty to accepting a bribe.
Federal corruption charges have now been filed against 18 people connected to the probe in Luzerne County.
The latest is Anthony Spinozza, a school board member in the Hanover Area School District.
Prosecutors said he has agreed to plead guilty to charges that he accepted a bribe while on the board. Spinozza could now face up to 10 years in prison.
In federal court papers filed Wednesday, prosecutors accuse Spinozza of getting cash in exchange for giving a bid to a contractor looking to do work at the Hanover Area schools.
Federal investigators won't say who the contractor is at this point but did say the bribe was for some amount less than $5,000.
Hanover Area is now the third school district in Luzerne County drawn into the federal corruption probe. Wilkes-Barre Area, Pittston Area and Hanover Area have now had board members or administrators busted in federal court.
Prosecutors said Spinozza took the bribe at Hanover Area sometime between May and October of 2008.
As part of the guilty plea agreement, Spinozza will resign from his position on the school board.
"I never would have thought it would have happened so close to home and so soon," said Andrew Kovalski of Hanover Township. "Actually it is kind of sad but it's time that we get the right people doing the right thing."
Those who went to Hanover Area or live in the district are now learning about the charge.
"I see a lot of the corruption. Nobody's immune to it. It's everywhere," said Rab Wayne of Hanover Township.
"It's like every where you go in this valley. It's, finally people digging in and finally seeing what's really happening," said John Strobel. " Am I glad? With a capital G. How about that?"
Hanover Area School District did issue a statement Wednesday afternoon saying it had no idea that federal agents were looking into the district.
The statement said the district certainly doesn't condone the actions and hopes this doesn't tarnish Hanover Area as a whole.
A school board member at Hanover Area has agreed to plead guilty to accepting a bribe.
Federal corruption charges have now been filed against 18 people connected to the probe in Luzerne County.
The latest is Anthony Spinozza, a school board member in the Hanover Area School District.
Prosecutors said he has agreed to plead guilty to charges that he accepted a bribe while on the board. Spinozza could now face up to 10 years in prison.
In federal court papers filed Wednesday, prosecutors accuse Spinozza of getting cash in exchange for giving a bid to a contractor looking to do work at the Hanover Area schools.
Federal investigators won't say who the contractor is at this point but did say the bribe was for some amount less than $5,000.
Hanover Area is now the third school district in Luzerne County drawn into the federal corruption probe. Wilkes-Barre Area, Pittston Area and Hanover Area have now had board members or administrators busted in federal court.
Prosecutors said Spinozza took the bribe at Hanover Area sometime between May and October of 2008.
As part of the guilty plea agreement, Spinozza will resign from his position on the school board.
"I never would have thought it would have happened so close to home and so soon," said Andrew Kovalski of Hanover Township. "Actually it is kind of sad but it's time that we get the right people doing the right thing."
Those who went to Hanover Area or live in the district are now learning about the charge.
"I see a lot of the corruption. Nobody's immune to it. It's everywhere," said Rab Wayne of Hanover Township.
"It's like every where you go in this valley. It's, finally people digging in and finally seeing what's really happening," said John Strobel. " Am I glad? With a capital G. How about that?"
Hanover Area School District did issue a statement Wednesday afternoon saying it had no idea that federal agents were looking into the district.
The statement said the district certainly doesn't condone the actions and hopes this doesn't tarnish Hanover Area as a whole.
