Pasonick gets year in jail

SCRANTON – Despite appeals regarding his poor health and that of his wife, supportive statements from three Russian Orthodox clerics, an apology and mention of his plans to earn a doctor of theology degree, local engineer Michael J. Pasonick was sentenced Friday to one year in prison and ordered to pay a $250,000 fine and spend two years probation on federal charges he bribed a Luzerne County school board official.

U.S. District Judge Richard P. Conaboy acknowledged all the good Pasonick has done, including recently opening a food pantry he plans to turn into a soup kitchen and homeless shelter, but called his corrupt actions “reprehensible.”

In urging leniency, Pasonick’s attorney, Joseph Sklarosky, said “it’s important to look at the total man,” noting Pasonick “comes from a poor family, a family that stressed the importance of education. And Mike worked hard to get that education.”

Pasonick started his own business and succeeded because of that hard work, Sklarosky said, painting the picture of a man who shared his wealth and his time for charitable and religious causes. Three clergymen backed that claim, noting Pasonick was a deacon in the faith and a regular presence at daily services.

Pasonick opened a statement by saying “I am not an eloquent elocutionist,” while insisting his words were “truthful and come from my heart.

“I know I used poor judgment and made a mistake,” he said, offering apologies to the community, his family, and his employees. Pasonick then told Conaboy he was near completion of a master’s degree in theology and plans, at age 70, to pursue a doctorate in theology. “I plan to devote my life to taking care of people in hard times.

“I firmly and categorically resolve never to repeat this,” Pasonick said. “This is my first offense, and my last offense.”

Conaboy disputed none of the testimony presented, adding that about 100 letters had been sent to him, nearly all praising Pasonick. Conaboy also noted the original pre-sentence report drawn up by the probation office recommended a prison term ranging between 18 and 24 months, but that he had accepted a request by prosecutors to lower the range to six to 12 months after Pasonick’s help led to convictions of “seven or eight” public officials.

Those officials were not named, though Pasonick has been openly linked to cases involving former Luzerne County Housing Authority member William Maguire and former Lackawanna County majority Commissioners Robert Cordaro and A.J. Munchak. He was not charged in those cases.

“You were not charged for much of your questionable conduct,” Conaboy told Pasonick.

Pasonick’s engineering firm was for years the recipient of valuable contracts from area government and school bodies.

Conaboy said he often sees defendants who seem to live “two different lives,” being openly caring and religious in one, yet doing “reprehensible” actions in the other.

“I don’t know the answer,” Conaboy said. “I do know I see it over and over again.”

Conaboy acknowledged that Pasonick worked his way up from a poor beginning, but then began “seeking friendships in the company of public officials, being kind and generous to them, and then bribing them.”

Conaboy said Pasonick had accumulated a great deal of wealth, making him capable of paying a high fine, and added that “you created some of that wealth because of the horrible things you did.”

Pasonick was released on his own recognizance and is to report to start his sentence on April 23. Sklarosky asked that his client be allowed to report in May so he can finish his master’s degree and graduate, and Conaboy said that request should be made by filing a court motion.

Pasonick pleaded guilty to the federal corruption charges in May 2011. The sentencing was delayed because of his ongoing cooperation in other cases.

Outside the courthouse, Sklarosky said it appeared the judge had sentenced Pasonick based on actions for which he had not been charged.

“He cooperated,” Sklarosky said, “but let me tell you as a defense lawyer I’m going to have second thoughts about cooperating in the future.”