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Owner Of Towing Business Sentenced To Jail

WILKES-BARRE — A tow truck operator convicted on theft charges was sentenced Friday morning in Luzerne County. “I’m embarrassed about what hap...

WILKES-BARRE -- A tow truck operator convicted on theft charges was sentenced Friday morning in Luzerne County.

"I'm embarrassed about what happened. We'll see what happens. "

Leo Glodzik was optimistic that he would be sentenced to probation or house arrest after the owner of LAG Towing was found guilty of stealing $1,000 in cash from a car he towed during an FBI sting in 2013.

Instead Judge Lisa Gelb sentenced Glodzik to three to 12 months in jail, infuriating his attorney.

"If she treated him fairly, she would have given him a sentence that is consistent with some of the other sentences that people have gotten for stealing huge amounts of money," said defense attorney Joseph Sklarosky.

Glodzik's case follows others in Luzerne County where people also stole money more than Glodzik but received no time behind bars.

In May, Fred DeSanto was sentenced to a year of house arrest after pleading guilty to stealing $30,000 worth of services from the Wyoming Valley Sewer Authority.

That same month, Christine Skorodensky was sentenced to six months house arrest after admitting to taking $53,000 from the Woodlands Inn and Resort.

In September 2013, Janet Griffith was sentenced to two years of probation after pleading guilty to swiping $17,000 from Luzerne County Community College.

Officials say Glodzik will likely end up at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for minimal offenders where he can leave for work release during the day, but he must report back every night.

"Extremely unfair sentence by a very timid judge who is afraid of what's going to be seen in the press. That's what she's afraid of."

Leo Glodzik did not want to talk about the state liens against his business or what he's going to do about the crumbling bridge he owns over the Susquehanna River near Exeter.

Glodzik, the owner of LAG Towing in Wilkes-Barre had been accused of stealing more than $2,000 in cash from a vehicle that had been towed to his lot in January of 2013. A jury found Glodzik guilty of theft by unlawful taking but not guilty of theft from a vehicle.

Glodzik must report to jail next Friday morning.

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