BOOKMAKING CASE Defendants request permission to travel

A defendant who works for Sky King Fireworks wants to travel for July 4.
By PATRICIA MEADE
VINDICATOR CRIME REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Defendants charged in the LaVilla Sports Bar & amp; Grille sports bookmaking case have been asking a federal judge for permission to travel outside Ohio for business and pleasure.
The case, which involves one woman and 15 men, is assigned to U.S. District Judge Paul R. Matia in Cleveland. The jury trial, originally scheduled for July 26, has been reset to Dec. 13.
The defendants, all free on unsecured bonds, must restrict their movements to northeastern Ohio unless Judge Matia grants their request to travel elsewhere.
The judge has granted a request by Vito Yeropoli, 30, of Hillsville, Pa., to travel to Cancun, Mexico, from Aug. 23 through Aug. 30. The judge ordered that Yeropoli promptly return his passport to pretrial services when he returns. Defendants under indictment surrender their passports as a bond condition.
Yeropoli, a Mahoning Township supervisor and vice president of Sky King Fireworks of Pennsylvania, has also asked the judge for permission to travel to Dayton for several one-day business trips. As of Thursday, the judge had not ruled on that motion.
Kevin Almasy, 35, of Midwood Circle, Boardman, has asked for permission to travel to South Bend, Ind., from June 30 through July 5. Almasy's motion describes him as a principal in Sky King Fireworks and points out that July 4 is the fireworks' company's busiest time. The motion is pending.
Sky King, operated by Almasy's cousin, Ronald A. Carabbia, has stores in Hillsville, Pa.; South Bend, Ind.; and several cities in Florida, according to its Web site.
Other defendants
Almasy was indicted along with his 33-year-old wife, Patrice Almasy, and his father, Steve "Moose" Almasy, 66, of Country Lane, Poland. Steve Almasy operates LaVilla Sports Bar & amp; Grille on Youngstown-Poland Road in Struthers.
Kevin and Patrice Almasy have also asked Judge Matia for permission to travel to Ocean City, Md., from Aug. 5 through 8 for a prepaid vacation with their children. The motion is pending.
The gambling indictment, filed last month, accuses the defendants of running sports bookmaking operations (mostly college and professional football) from Nov. 10, 2001, through Jan. 20, 2002. It asks for forfeiture of LaVilla; the house at 8 Midwood Circle; and the liquor permit in the name of Sally Ann Almasy, doing business as LaVilla. Sally Ann Almasy is Steve Almasy's wife.
meade@vindy.com