Blank Paige: Cognetti Appointee’s Criminal Past Raises Questions for City Hall

Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti’s administration is under fire after revelations that Michael Villa, the Human Relations Commission member arrested last week following a school lockdown and hospital assault, already had a criminal record at the time of his appointment in November 2022.

Court records show Villa, 29, was facing a drunken driving charge in June 2022 when Cognetti tapped him for the commission — a charge that stemmed from an arrest in Wilkes-Barre where he was allegedly intoxicated, behind the wheel of his SUV, with his 5-month-old son in the back seat.

Within weeks of his appointment, Villa’s behavior spiraled further:

• December 2022 – Arrested in South Scranton for trespassing and fleeing police.
• January 2023 – Attended his first commission meeting, then hours later was arrested at the Hilton Scranton for disorderly conduct after smashing wine bottles and causing a scene.
• February through July 2023 – Pleaded guilty in multiple cases, drawing probation, fines, and restitution.

Despite this string of arrests, Villa remained on the Human Relations Commission until now — nearly two years later — when he was finally targeted for removal only after Friday’s incident forced the Scranton School District into a districtwide lockdown.

Councilman Mark McAndrew said council’s role in confirming Villa was only “a formality” and that responsibility for vetting rested with the mayor. “This person should have been removed,” McAndrew said. “We need to do better. This was a huge issue.”

City Solicitor Jessica Eskra admitted the administration only began running criminal background checks on appointees in 2024, after Villa was already seated. Eskra insisted Villa was vetted before his appointment and said the city considered him in part because he worked at the Scranton Area Community Foundation, a nonprofit the city often collaborates with. Still, the process implemented by Cognetti to vet her people clearly failed to work in this case.

Critics aren’t buying the explanation. Republican mayoral candidate Trish Beynon blasted Cognetti for “protecting a criminal,” adding: “Why did it take so long to remove him, especially with repeated arrests and convictions? This lack of leadership begins and ends with Mayor Cognetti.”

Cognetti herself has so far refused to speak publicly about Villa’s appointment or why he was allowed to remain on the commission after multiple arrests.

The controversy now overshadows Cognetti’s dual campaigns — for reelection as mayor in November and for Congress in 2026 — and raises serious questions about how City Hall vets its appointees.

Villa remains in Lackawanna County Prison on $10,000 bail, facing new charges of aggravated assault, trespassing, and harassment. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 30.