HARRISBURG — A Hazleton lawyer faces more than five years in prison for allegedly trying to cover up an attempt by two corrupt Luzerne County judges to cheat on their federal income taxes.

The case has ties to Western Pa. Child Care in Allegheny Township.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said today Robert Powell, 49, agreed to plead guilty to failing to report a felony and being an accessory after the fact.

Powell is accused of helping former judges Mark Ciavarella and Michael Conahan, who await sentencing after pleading guilty to accepting $2.6 million in payoffs to place juveniles in private detention facilities.

One of those facilities is Western Pa. Child Care.

Prosecutors say Powell falsified records to hide the judges' true income and transferred tens of thousands of dollars in cash to Conahan to evade federal income taxes.