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In early 2007, the Juvenile Law Center investigaes improper sentencing in Luzurne County, Pennsylvania. Judge Mark Ciavarella is accused of accepting money from for-profit juvenile detention centers and giving children harsh sentences for small crimes to increase the number of kids at the jails.
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The Juvenile Law Center asks the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to investigate the violation of youths' rights because a large number were appearing without proper counsel before Judge Mark Ciavarella.
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Ciavarella admits he misinformed juveniles of their right to counsel and relieves himself of juvenile court duties.
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Judges Ciavarella and Michael Conahan plead guilty to accepting $2.8 million from for-profit juvenile detention centers.
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A judge rejects Ciavarella and Conahan's plea deals because they continuously denied their crimes after pleading guilty.
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Ciavarella and Conahan remove their guilty plea and are indicted by a federal grand jury.
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Ciavarella and Conahan are indicted by a federal grand jury for racketeering, money laundering, fraud, extortion, federal tax violation and bribery, but are let go on $1 million bond.
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The Pennsylvania Supreme Court vacated the sentences of all of Ciavarella's juvenile cases from 2003-2008 and ordered to expunge their records.
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Ciavarella is convicted on 12 of the counts brought before him
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Ciavarella is sentenced to 28 years in federal prison. He is scheduled for release in 2035 when he is 84.
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Conahan was sentenced to 17.5 years in federal prison after he plead guilty to one count of racketeering.
