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<p>SCRANTON &#8212; A federal judge on Wednesday heard conflicting descriptions of Charles Pedri.</p><p>The former Hazle Township solicitor&#8217;s attorney argued Pedri was a prideful family man whose failing finances forced him to spend $105,000 of a developer&#8217;s funds, while a federal prosecutor labeled him a thief who betrayed the public&#8217;s trust and deceived a business.</p><p>U.S. District Judge Richard P. Conaboy, after an hour-long hearing in which both sides sought contrasting punishments, sentenced Pedri to four years probation for stealing $105,586 held in an escrow account for Massachusetts-based Hazle Spindle LLC.</p><p>Pedri, 65, of Hazleton, pilfered the funds because he was in the midst of financial despair and was desperate to dig himself out, Pedri&#8217;s attorney, Melinda C. Ghilardi, said during his sentencing in U.S. District Court in Scranton.</p><p>But Pedri, she argued, had and otherwise pristine record and shouldn&#8217;t be condemned for a lone crime.</p><p>&#8220;The man has led a wonderful life,&#8221; Ghilardi said. &#8220;He made one mistake and I&#8217;m asking the court not to send him to jail for one mistake.&#8221;</p><p><a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/551196/former-hazle-township-solicitor-charles-pedri-to-plead-guilty-to-embezzling-funds" target="_blank">According to prosecutors, Hazle Spindle and the township entered into an agreement in 2013 in which the developer paid the township funds that were to be held as security for improvements to the business&#8217; grounds.</a> </p><p>Pedri signed off on the agreement as an escrow agent and deposited the funds into his law office account, but wrote checks to himself drawn on the account until they were virtually depleted. He <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/551196/former-hazle-township-solicitor-charles-pedri-to-plead-guilty-to-embezzling-funds" target="_blank">pleaded guilty in July</a> to theft concerning programs receiving federal funds.</p><p>Pedri did not comment as he left the courthouse but apologized to his family during the hearing.</p><p>&#8220;I was wrong,&#8221; Pedri said. &#8220;I am truly sorry.&#8221;</p><p>Several members of Pedri&#8217;s family, including his son, Luzerne County Manager David Pedri, attended the hour-long hearing.</p><p>Ghilardi said Pedri, a father of two, is needed at home to care for his wife, Sharon, a stroke victim. Pedri&#8217;s children are unable to pitch in and there would be no one to care for her if he were placed behind bars, Ghilardi said.</p><p>Families suffer in every criminal case, Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert O&#8217;Hara said, but &#8220;no one ever thinks about that until the day of reckoning is upon them.&#8221;</p><p>O&#8217;Hara urged Conaboy to send Pedri to prison, within the 12- to 18-month guideline range, arguing probation &#8220;sends the wrong message.&#8221;</p><p>Conaboy said a probationary sentence wasn&#8217;t a far departure from the sentencing guidelines, but acknowledged Pedri, whose law license was suspended last year, was held to a higher standard and &#8220;let many people down.&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;You should have known better,&#8221; the judge said.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Ex-Hazle Township Solicitor Charles Pedri leaves federal court in Scranton after being sentenced to four years probation for spending $105,000 he held in an escrow account. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_Pedri-2.jpg</photo0><caption0>Ex-Hazle Township Solicitor Charles Pedri leaves federal court in Scranton after being sentenced to four years probation for spending $105,000 he held in an escrow account. </caption0><photoCredit0>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Suspended attorney sentenced four years probation</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Joe Dolinsky</p><p>jdolinsky@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Joe Dolinsky at 570-991-6110 or on Twitter @JoeDolinskyTL</p></shirttailMeta></div>

UPDATED: Ex-Hazle Township Solicitor Charles Pedri avoids jail time for theft of funds