ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Former Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski is being released from prison Thursday.
Pawlowski is going straight from prison to a halfway house in Philadelphia. He will need a job in the Lehigh Valley in order to move home.
He was convicted in 2018 on 47 counts of corruption in a pay to play scheme.
He served seven and a half years in federal prison.
Throughout the trial and during his incarceration Pawlowski has maintained his innocence.
But in October he released a letter of contrition to the community.
It reads in part:
“I owe each of you my apology for the foolishness. When I leave the confines of the places where I’ve paid my debts, I recognize that my employment options are limited, but God surely has plans for me, one of which I am sure is to do community service in my beloved Allentown.”
As mayor, Pawlowski played a major role in the revitalization of Allentown’s Hamilton Street.
His prison resume includes teaching GED classes, leading Bible study and training service dogs. He also played drums in several prison bands.
Former Community Action Executive Director Alan Jennings, who is helping Pawlowski find a job so he can return to Allentown after his release, says Pawlowski is highly qualified for a leadership position of some kind.
In a Corrlinks email to 69 News, Pawlwoski talked about his release and plans afterward.
“I’m very excited to return to my family and to once again be in the city I love. I’m looking for ways where I can continue to help people and make an impact in the community,” said Pawlowski. “I have learned much during my time away. I want to use my experience to assist others who’ve been incarcerated transition back into society.”