NORTHEAST OHIO 2 men sentenced in bribery conspiracy

Both men also were ordered to pay a $2,000 fine.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
CLEVELAND -- Two men convicted Thursday of conspiracy to bribery, involving a Warren city official, have been sentenced to home confinement and probation.
U.S. District Judge Lesley Wells sentenced Anthony Cervone and Matthew Mesaros of Innerscope Technical Services Inc., of Austintown, Thursday afternoon in Cleveland.
Both men received three years' probation and a $2,000 fine. Cervone was sentenced to 10 months of house arrest and Mesaros was sentenced to seven months.
According to officials, Cervone, 53, of Rome Drive, Austintown, and Mesaros, 36, of New Road, Austintown, promised to pay former city building official James Lapmardo $75,000 for the contract to demolish the Mahoningside Power Plant, the documents state.
Mesaros also was accused of paying about $6,000 additional for the Mahoningside demolition.
Entered innocent pleas
Lapmardo, 53, of Perkinswood Drive Southeast, entered innocent pleas in December to one charge each of racketeering and conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act bribery and three counts of Hobbs Act bribery.
Lapmardo, who left his city job in October 2000, remains free on a $25,000 bond. It is not known when he is scheduled to return to court.
Neither he nor his attorney, Albert Palombaro of Boardman, could be reached to comment.
Lapmardo's 26-page indictment states that an unnamed public official had the power to influence the selection of contractors to perform work for the city, recommend approval of change orders, to issue permits, and to supervise and inspect construction work on city contracts.
From sometime in the early 1990s and continuing through mid-July 2000, Lapmardo and several contractors -- and an unnamed public official -- conspired to "obstruct, delay, and affect commerce by extortion," the indictment states.
The other contractors indicted and convicted in the scheme were James Nicolaus of T & amp;J Construction Inc. and J & amp;J Enterprises; Dante Massacci Sr. and Dante Massacci Jr., of South Main Sand & amp; Gravel; and James Matash of M & amp;M Excavating.
All were sentenced to prison for one year and one day.
sinkovich@vindy.com