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Their view: Why bother with an open mind?

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Dr. Healey: paying for ‘outcomes’ would be better than paying for ‘services’

<p>SCRANTON &#8212; A former Luzerne County prison guard was sentenced Monday to 30 months in jail for extorting cash, alcohol and drugs from a disadvantaged prisoner in exchange for unauthorized time outside prison walls and then urging the inmate to lie once investigators caught on.</p><p>John Stachokus, 42, of Plains Township, did not react as U.S. District Judge Malachy E. Mannion imposed the sentence on one count each of extortion and tampering with a witness. He was permitted to report to prison by June 16.</p><p>He thanked his friends and family for their support in a brief apology, but acknowledged he alone will have to live with his mistake for the rest of his life. He added that his career outlook appears bleak, as employers have refused to call him back because of the charges.</p><p>&#8220;What I did was wrong and I have to deal with it every day when I wake up,&#8221; Stachokus said.</p><p>His brother, Jason Stachokus, pleaded for leniency on his family&#8217;s behalf, saying the charges are &#8220;uncharacteristic&#8221; of his brother. The ordeal will, however, make John Stachokus a better person, his brother said.</p><p>&#8220;He is embarrassed and very sorry for what he put our family though,&#8221; Jason Stachokus said.</p><p>Stachokus, who worked at the prison&#8217;s work release center, wielded his power to allow unauthorized or extended furloughs and other freedoms to an inmate he knew was desperate for money between 2013 and 2016, prosecutors said.</p><p>Stachokus&#8217; abuse of authority was condemned by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Olshefski, who implored Mannion to impose a sentence that would deter future criminal behavior by those in public service jobs.</p><p>&#8220;He held the keys to allowing criminals freedom,&#8221; Olshefski said. &#8220;It&#8217;s just despicable behavior for someone who has that position and that power.&#8221;</p><p>Mannion noted Stachokus was in a position where integrity was &#8220;exceptionally important.&#8221; He violated that trust, the judge said, and made a bad situation worse by forcing the inmate to lie about it.</p><p><a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/local/576826/another-luzerne-county-prison-worker-charged-for-alleged-wrongdoing-in-work-release-program" target="_blank">Federal prosecutors charged Stachokus Aug. 16</a>, 2016, less than a month after another longtime prison worker, former work release counselor and one-time Wilkes-Barre Area School Board president Louis Elmy, <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/567624/prosecutors-lou-elmy-traded-guns-to-drug-dealers-to-feed-crack-addiction" target="_blank">pleaded guilty to a similar extortion bid that was carried out during the same period</a>. Elmy was sentenced to 72 months in prison.</p><p>Elmy created phony court orders using judges&#8217; cut-and-pasted signatures so his dealings with the inmate appeared legitimate on paper. In exchange for special treatment in the work release program, the inmate provided cash and access to alcohol and drugs, including crack cocaine.</p><p>Stachokus was terminated from his $50,272-a-year position in September.</p><p>He must serve two years on probation following his release.</p><p><ins>For other local crime stories, <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/crime" target="_blank">click here</a>.</ins></p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Stachokus </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_ew-1-1-1.jpeg</photo0><caption0>Stachokus </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></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>

‘Despicable behavior’ nets former Luzerne County corrections officer 30 months in jail