SCRANTON — A former Democratic leader of Pennsylvania’s Senate has been charged with misusing his staff and resources for political fundraising and campaigning.

Former Sen. Robert Mellow became the latest state lawmaker to be charged as a result of state and federal probes into the illegal use of public funds for electioneering.

A charging document filed Thursday in federal court in Scranton alleges that Mellow and advisers had staffers raising campaign cash and doing other election work while being paid by the Senate.

Mellow, 69, plans to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and to filing a false income tax return for 2008.