Times Leader
SCRANTON — Danielle Ross Pietralczyk, 37, of Jermyn, faces up to five years in federal prison after pleading guilty Monday to tax evasion and filing a false federal income tax return. She had served as guardian ad litem for the Lackawanna County Family Court prior to her February arrest.
Pietralczyk pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge A. Richard Caputo.
According to United States Attorney Peter J. Smith, tax returns verified by Pietralczyk under penalty of perjury failed to report any amounts of income she received from private paying clients while acting as the sole guardian ad litem for the Lackawanna County Family Court. The only income Ross reported for 2009 and 2010 was her county compensation reported on 1099 forms which she received as an independent contractor hired by Lackawanna County.
As the sole guardian ad litem for the Lackawanna County Family Court, she was provided with an annual compensation of $38,000. However, pursuant to a contract between Ross and Lackawanna County, Ross was permitted to bill private paying parties above her county compensation at a rate of $50 per hour. She managed and exercised complete control over her private billings and income, prosecutors say. That income was known only to Pietralczyk and not Lackawanna County, nor was Lackawanna County required to approve her private billings.
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