INQUIRER: Admitting that he tried to foil a federal investigation by erasing the memories of state Senate computers on orders of Sen. Vincent J. Fumo, technician Leonard P. Luchko this morning pleaded guilty to conspiracy and obstruction of justice and agreed to testify against the powerful Philadelphia Democrat. Luchko, 52, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy and 28 of obstruction of justice in a deal in which federal prosecutors promised to recommend that he spend no more than two years in prison. The guilty plea by Luchko, whose job was to manage computer services for Fumo and more than a score of Fumo aides and contractors, is the most threatening development to date in Fumo’s defense at his corruption trial beginning Sept. 8. The plea agreement outlines how Luchko – on Fumo’s orders – in November 2003 began a campaign to erase all e-mails between Fumo and his staff and to enforce a dictum that Senate staffers were never to save e-mails from Fumo without the Senator’s permission. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Pease described the timing of Luchko’s work as important because it began just nine months after the FBI and IRS began their investigation of Fumo and his financial dealings.
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