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• May 31, 2006 11:49 am US/Eastern
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  Staffers To Powerful PA Politician Indicted

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Staffers To Powerful PA Politician Indicted

PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ― U.S. Attorney Patrick Meehan announced the arrest of two computer services employees working for the Pennsylvania State Senate. The employees, according to Meehan, were indicted on corruption charges.

The announcement followed the release of the unsealed 60 page affidavit that names 49-year-old Leonard Luchko of Collingdale and 36-year-old Mark Eister of Campy Hill, staff members to PA State Senator Vincent Fumo.

The pair were charged with obstruction of justice for allegedly engaging in the widespread destruction of e-mail evidence and computer records involved in an ongoing federal investigation.

Luchko was assigned to the Senator's district office in South Philadelphia and Eister aided the Senator's Harrisburg office.

The federal indictment was unsealed Wednesday morning at the Federal Courthouse.

The indictment states the powerful State Senator is under investigation by the F.B.I and the I.R.S. for alleged extortion in connection with his intervening in a public utility commission investigation and also possibly using his charitable organizations to enrich himself.

The U.S. Attorney's Office states is a press release, "The investigation focuses on whether and to what extent the Senator has used his position to demand and obtain payments from corporations to a non-profit associated with the Senator's South Philadelphia office."

The affidavit alleges in 2003 the Senator, Luchko, Eister and others became aware of the investigation and the two began destroying possible evidence.

This was a deliberate, systematic, and ultimately successful effort to interfere with a federal investigation," said Meehan.

The Senator was not directly named in the indictment and he is not facing any criminal charges at this time.

Luchko and Eister are expected to be formally arraigned before a judge Tuesday afternoon.

CBS 3 has been unable to reach State Senator Fumo for comment.

(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)