Luzerne County Businessman Charged with Making a Corrupt Payment to Influence Official Action Sentenced
| U.S. Attorney’s Office March 09, 2012 |
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Michael Pasonick, age 69, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to a 12-month term of imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Richard P. Conaboy. Judge Conaboy also ordered Pasonick to pay a $250,000 fine and serve two years of supervised release.
According to United States Attorney Peter J. Smith, Pasonick was charged with making a corrupt payment to influence official action in May 2011. Pasonick paid at least $1,000 to the member of a school board in Luzerne County to influence to the board member to support Pasonick’s efforts to receive business from the school district. He pleaded guilty that same month.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service and the United States Department of Education’s Office of Inspector General. Prosecution of the case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Houser.