TRUMBULL PROBE Delmont set to plead

The former maintenance director has agreed to cooperate with authorities.
By STEPHEN SIFF
and PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Eight months after being indicted on charges of money laundering, theft in office and five counts of bribery, Tony Delmont, the former Trumbull County maintenance director, is expected to plead guilty today.
Delmont was expected to enter his plea in the courtroom of Trumbull County Common Pleas Judge Peter Kontos at 10 this morning. At that time, the public was to find out if he pleads guilty to all the charges in the indictment.
An affidavit by Delmont on county purchasing also is expected to become public today. He was indicted in October 2003.
As part of a deal with prosecutors, Delmont has agreed to cooperate in the investigation, which has resulted in grand jury appearances by three current and former county commissioners, the county administrator, the county sheriff and county auditor.
Delmont will face one to three years in prison if he cooperates by naming others involved, assistant county prosecutor Chris Becker said.
He also will be required to pay $50,000 restitution.
If Delmont does not cooperate, the sentence could be increased to 10 years, Becker added.
Delmont was fired by commissioners in November. He was indicted a few weeks before he was fired.
Accusations
At his disciplinary hearing last year, prosecutors said the 27-year county employee accepted bribes, vacations and gifts in return for allowing vendors to overcharge and oversell goods to Trumbull County.
A vendor who has pleaded guilty in the scandal, Envirochemical Inc. co-owner Barry Jacobson, said that he was told many of the bribes he paid were spread around to higher-ranking county officials. Jacobson was required to make $230,000 restitution as part of his plea agreement to bribery and complicity to theft in office. He has not yet been sentenced.
Others indicted in the scandal include Delmont's wife, Karen, who has pleaded innocent to a money laundering charge; Linda and Terry Maiorana of Canfield, who ran a company called Lid Chem, who both pleaded innocent to bribery, money laundering and theft charges; and Dennis Pirko, a heating repairman, who pleaded innocent to bribery, money laundering, theft and failing to file state tax returns.
Although Delmont was fired by commissioners last year, he continues receiving 72 percent of his salary as a result of a workers' compensation claim filed shortly after his first grand jury appearance. His full salary was $71,000 a year.
Officials subpoenaed
County officials subpoenaed to appear in front of the grand jury investigating the scandal include Michael O'Brien, Warren mayor and former county commissioner; commissioners Joseph Angelo Jr. and James Tsagaris; Sheriff Thomas Altiere; Auditor David Hines; County Administrator Tony Carson; and current maintenance department head Al DeVengencie.
Several of Delmont's former subordinates have also been required to appear numerous times before the grand jury.
siff@vindy.comsinkovich@vindy.com