Williamsport, Pa. – The commutation of a former Luzerne County judge’s prison sentence last week has been met with disapproval by local leaders. President Biden commuted 1,500 sentences, including that of Michael Conahan, who was convicted in the ‘Kids-for-Cash’ scandal.
State Rep. Jamie Flick (R-Lycoming/Union) expressed deep disappointment after learning Biden commuted the prison sentence. Flick, who has long been an outspoken advocate for justice reform, criticized the decision, calling it a troubling signal that undermines accountability, particularly for those involved in such serious criminal conduct.
The former judge and his co-conspirator, Mark Ciavarella, 76, were found guilty of conspiring to funnel juveniles to for-profit detention facilities in exchange for $2.8 million in kickbacks in 2010. Known as “kids-for-cash,” the scheme affected thousands of minors, many of whom were first-time offenders convicted of minor infractions like truancy or jaywalking.
“When crimes involve kids, I get really angry,” said Flick, who sits on the Children and Youth and Human Services committees with a special focus on mental health. “Wrongful convictions, particularly for youth, cause a host of repercussions that last long into a person’s adulthood and erode trust in the justice system. I am extremely disappointed in a judicial system that allowed Conahan to get out of prison during the pandemic and remain on house arrest.”
Conahan, 72, was sentenced to 17.5 years in 2011 after pleading guilty to a racketeering conspiracy charge. He was released to home confinement in 2020 due to health concerns amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “I’m upset that he was not sent back to prison after COVID concerns eased. Instead, he enjoyed his time in his house in Florida for the past four years,” Flick said.
Conahan had 20 months remaining in his sentence.
Following the case, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned over 4,000 convictions involving more than 2,300 youths after uncovering fraud. The scandal triggered widespread reforms in the juvenile justice system.
Biden recently commuted his sentence as part of a clemency initiative for over 1,500 individuals who the administration said have successfully reintegrated into society after being placed on home confinement. This decision followed a denied request earlier this year by a federal judge, who cited the extensive harm caused by Conahan’s actions as justification for maintaining the sentence.
“It would be interesting to follow the money in this case, both for the lawyers who advocated on Conahan’s behalf, and family and friends’ campaign donations,” Flick added.
Ciavarella, 76, implemented a zero-tolerance policy in juvenile courts to ensure high occupancy in the private facilities. He was convicted in 2011 and is currently serving a 28-year sentence at a medium-security prison in North Carolina.
