Biden commutes sentence of judge who sent children to jail for kickbacks

Dec 13, 2024

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Ray Bogan Political Correspondent

By Ray Bogan (Political Correspondent)

A former judge who received millions in kickbacks for sending children to for-profit detention centers had his sentence commuted by President Joe Biden. Michael Conahan was one of two former judges convicted in the “kids-for-cash” scandal that took place from 2003 to 2008 and impacted 2,500 kids.

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Conahan pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy charges in 2011 and was sentenced to 17 ½ years in prison. He was released to home confinement in June 2020 after petitioning for compassionate release during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying he was in severe danger of contracting and dying from the virus.

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Conahan was convicted alongside Mark Ciavarella, who is still serving a 28-year-sentence for honest services mail fraud charges. The pair received $2.1 million in kickbacks for sending kids to juvenile prisons with sentences that were disproportionate to their crimes.

Conahan was one of 1,500 individuals released during the pandemic who had their sentences commuted by Bide. The president said those individuals deserve a second chance.

The White House said in a statement that they are people, “who were sentenced under outdated laws, policies, and practices.”

“These Americans have been reunited with their families and shown their commitment to rehabilitation by securing employment and advancing their education,” the statement continued.

The mother of a young man who committed suicide in the midst of the scandal said she was shocked and hurt by the announcement.

“Conahan‘s actions destroyed families, including mine, and my son‘s death is a tragic reminder of the consequences of his abuse of power,” Sandy Fonzo told Citizens Voice. “This pardon feels like an injustice for all of us who still suffer. Right now I am processing and doing the best I can to cope with the pain that this has brought back.”

In 2015, an attorney who wrote the checks to Conahan and Ciavarella entered into a $7.5 million settlement with the juvenile defendants imprisoned in the scandal.

Tags: Fraud, Joe Biden, Pardon, Prison, Prisoners

[Ray Bogan]

A former judge who received millions in kickbacks for sending children to for-profit detention centers had his sentence commuted by President Biden. Michael Conahan was one of two former judges convicted in the ‘Kids-for-Cash’ scandal that took place from 2003 to 2008 and impacted 2,500 kids.

Conahan pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy charges in 2011 and was sentenced to 17 ½ years in prison. He was released to home confinement in June 2020 after petitioning for compassionate release during the COVID pandemic; he said he was in severe danger of contracting and dying from the virus.

Conahan was convicted alongside Mark Ciavarella who is still serving a 28-year-sentence for honest services mail fraud charges. The pair received $2.1 million in kickbacks for sending kids to juvenile prisons with sentences that were disproportionate to their crimes.

Conahan was one of 1,500 individuals released during the pandemic who had their sentences commuted by President Biden who said they deserve a second chance.

The White House said in a statement that they are people “who were sentenced under outdated laws, policies, and practices.”

“These Americans have been reunited with their families and shown their commitment to rehabilitation by securing employment and advancing their education.”

The mother of a young man who committed suicide after being sentenced by Ciavarella said she was shocked and hurt by the announcement.

Sandy Fonzo told 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. Right now I am processing and doing the best I can to cope with the pain that this has brought back.”

In 2015, an attorney who wrote the checks to Conahan and Ciavarella entered into a $7.5 million settlement with the juvenile defendants imprisoned in the scandal.