Ex-N.E. Pa. school officials plead guilty in bribes

SCRANTON - Two former Northeastern Pennsylvania school officials have pleaded guilty to unrelated federal corruption charges.

Ross Scarantino, former Pittston Area School District superintendent, and James Height, former Wilkes-Barre Area school board president, pleaded guilty before a federal judge at separate hearings yesterday.

Scarantino pleaded guilty to accepting a $5,000 bribe from a contractor. Height pleaded guilty to accepting $2,000 in cash from a contractor who sought his help in obtaining work.

Both men likely face 18 to 24 months in prison under federal sentencing guidelines. The charges came as part of a federal probe of local government corruption in the region. - AP