Scranton, Pennsylvania (WBRE/Waioh) — President Joe Biden has announced a commutation of the sentence of disgraced “Kids for Cash” judge Michael Conahan, and one of his victims has expressed outrage.
Conahan and fellow judge Mark Ciavarella of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, were convicted in connection with a scheme to send thousands of juveniles to two private detention centers in exchange for millions of dollars in kickbacks. .
Nexstar's WBRE spoke with Amanda Lorah, a victim of the Kids for Cash scheme. She argued that the pardon for Conahan was simply wrong and unjust.
“This is another big slap in the face for us,” Lora said after hearing that Biden announced Conahan's sentence commutation.
“We didn't have time. We didn't have anyone to talk to, and now we're telling the president of the United States to do this. What about all of us?” she asked.
Lora was one of the thousands of boys wrongfully imprisoned as part of the Kids for Cash scheme involving Conahan and Ciavarella.
The judges accepted a $2 million kickback in exchange for sending the boy to two private detention centers where they had business interests. The scandal attracted national attention.
Chabelala was convicted in 2011 on 12 of 39 charges and sentenced to 28 years in prison.
In 2010, Conahan pleaded guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy and was sentenced to 17 and a half years in prison.
He was released from home confinement in 2020 due to health concerns related to the coronavirus infection.
Lola was sent to prison for five years for getting involved in a brawl at a high school volleyball game.
“So he wants to talk about Conan and everyone else, but what is Joe Biden doing to these kids who got absolutely nothing and almost no justice in this whole thing that happened?” So it doesn't matter to us, but Conan seems to be doing that.''It's just a slap on the wrist in every way today,'' Lola explained.
The White House released part of its statement regarding commuting sentences for nonviolent offenders.
These reduced pay recipients who were homebound during the coronavirus pandemic have successfully reintegrated into their families and communities, proving they deserve a second chance.
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But Lora says she and the other boys were not given a second chance.
“We'll never be settled…. These two men are going to show up somehow, but now that the president of the United States has pardoned him, we need to stop doing this.” Please, who would want to live in this country now? I'm completely shocked, I can't believe it,” Lora said.
This means Conahan has about two years left on his home confinement period.
WBRE has attempted to reach Conahan for comment, but has so far been unsuccessful.
