WARREN Three contractors get subpoenas in FBI probe

The investigation continues, the head of the Youngstown FBI office says.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Three area contractors have been subpoenaed to appear before a federal grand jury in Cleveland next week.
"Our investigation is continuing," said John Kane, agent in charge of the Youngstown FBI office. He declined to name those who received subpoenas.
Mayor Hank Angelo said Friday he was not aware that more subpoenas were issued.
The FBI has been investigating contractors who did business in the city a few years ago. Since the investigation began, three local contractors have been indicted and convicted.
Guilty plea
James F. Nicolaus, 46, of Hazelwood Drive, Warren, pleaded guilty in July to one charge of extortion. He was sentenced to serve one year and one day in prison and was ordered to pay $50,000 in restitution to Warren and to serve two years' probation after his release from prison.
Nicolaus owned and operated T & amp;J Construction Inc. and J & amp;J Enterprises Inc. of Warren.
From the early 1990s until June 2000, Nicolaus paid kickbacks requested by one public official in exchange for that official's assistance in winning public contracts in Warren, a 16-page plea agreement says.
The public official has not been identified.
Authorities have said that the public official had the power to influence the selection of contractors to perform work for the city, supervise the work of contractors and recommend approval of change orders to the city board of control.
The official also asked Nicolaus, who agreed to serve as an intermediary, to seek kickbacks from two other unidentified contractors.
The plea agreement notes Nicolaus paid about $100,000 in kickbacks in exchange for contracts for himself and other contractors.
The kickbacks involved construction of a new clubhouse at the city-owned Avalon South Golf Course, work at the Warren Community Development building, Warren housing rehabilitation, residential and commercial board-ups and rehabilitation of vacant houses.
Fake invoices
From December 1995 to September 1996, at a public official's request, Nicolaus created five fictitious invoices for T & amp;J, falsely stating the company had done work for South Main Sand and Gravel.
The now-defunct South Main was owned by Dante Massacci Sr. and his son, Dante Jr., both of whom have pleaded guilty in the scheme and have been sentenced to prison.
The government says that when South Main paid Nicolaus, he kept some money but gave most of it to the unidentified public official "knowing that such payments were in exchange for" the official's assistance in obtaining contracts for South Main to demolish Mahoningside Power Plant, Warren Music Center and the Sanitary Dairy Building.
sinkovich@vindy.com