Trumbull's purchasing probe comes to inauspicious end

At the very least, it should have been Trumbull County Prosecutor Dennis Watkins and Special Prosecutor Victor Vigluicci making the announcement. Instead, Assistant Prosecutor Chris Becker broke the news to The Vindicator in a comment that gives new meaning to the word anticlimactic.
"I don't think you will see anyone else indicted," Becker said Friday, signaling the end of a long investigation into government corruption in the county. The assistant prosecutor contended that investigative agencies have "exhausted every avenue we have" and those avenues "have turned up cold."
We can't say we're surprised. Last June, a grand jury that heard testimony from county officials and employees about a kickback scheme was dismissed by Vigluicci after nine months' service. No indictments were announced and the special prosecutor refused to explain why or to say whether he intended to impanel another grand jury to investigate the exorbitantly high prices paid by the county for cleaning supplies and other items. It was The Vindicator that first revealed the corruption in a series of stories beginning in 2002.
But our disappointment at the way the announcement of the probe's end was handled has less to do with our role in uncovering this sordid affair than our belief that such a scam could not have been perpetrated without the involvement of higher ups.
To be sure, the key participant in the purchasing scandal, Tony Delmont, who was county government's maintenance director, has been convicted of bribery, theft in office and money laundering and will be sentenced Jan. 27. In addition, two vendors pleaded guilty for their roles in the case and three other individuals face charges.
Affidavit
However, a three-page affidavit filed in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court by Delmont a couple of years ago added to our suspicions that others in county government were involved. In the affidavit, the former maintenance director claims he gave $50,000 to elected officials, as well as tickets for sporting events, electronic equipment and other gifts. He also contended that all his criminal actions were at the specific direction of commissioners and/or the sheriff. The commissioners at the time were Michael O'Brien, currently mayor of Warren, James Tsagaris and Joseph Angelo, who lost re-election. The sheriff was and still is Thomas Altiere. All have denied any wrongdoing.
It is not known how extensively prosecutors Watkins and Vigluicci investigated Delmont's claim and whether the individuals he talked about in his affidavit were interviewed under oath.
The questions that must be answered are these: Did Delmont lie in the affidavit? If so, will he be prosecuted for a perjury that tainted the reputations of elected officials and sent investigators on a false trail?
Assistant Prosecutor Becker's announcement that there will be no other indictments must not be the last word on this case. We urge Watkins and Vigluicci to publicly discuss in detail the investigation into the purchasing scandal and also to talk about whether the citizenry can rest assured that government corruption in Trumbull County has been exorcised.