Lackawanna Trail School Board members are "appalled at the leniency" being offered to Fred Rosetti, Ed.D.
The former executive director of the Northeastern Educational Intermediate Unit is set to plead guilty today to mail fraud and theft at 1:30 p.m. at the William J. Nealon Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse. His plea deal with the U.S. attorney's office calls for 12 to 18 months of imprisonment and restitution of $120,000.
In a letter to U.S. District Judge Robert D. Mariani, also sent to The Times-Tribune, members of the Trail school board wrote that Dr. Rosetti abused his authority and ran NEIU for his "own personal gain and glorification at the expense of the students and member institutions."
When Dr. Rosetti was indicted in February, prosecutors said that if convicted of the most serious charges, he could have faced 10 years in prison, $250,000 fine and the forfeiture of $240,000, the contents of two bank accounts and his Archbald home.
Dr. Rosetti, originally facing 13 counts of fraud, theft and money laundering, was accused of "fraudulently, improperly and unlawfully" converting funds and property of the NEIU for his personal benefit and for the benefit of his family. Allegations included not recording used vacation days and cashing them out at retirement and using employees for personal tasks.
The agreement has Dr. Rosetti, on home confinement since June, pleading guilty to two counts: Count 1, mail fraud relating to a package delivered at NEIU expense ; and Count 8, theft concerning programs receiving federal funds.
The Trail school directors wrote their "first job is to the students and taxpayers of our respective communities." Board members said the forfeiture of $120,000 is not a fair and equitable agreement to the NEIU and its member districts. The NEIU is a taxpayer-funded agency that provides services to 20 school districts.
"It is our hope that you, in reviewing the facts of this case, will instruct the U.S. attorney general to utilize its legal authority and go after full restitution of all funds due the intermediate unit and its member institutions," the board said. The U.S. attorney's office had no comment on the letter.
Contact the writer: shofius@timesshamrock.com