GAMBLING PROBE Millions were put up, FBI says

In January '02, the FBI searched homes and businesses.
By PATRICIA MEADE
VINDICATOR CRIME REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- In one month, illegal sports bookmakers with ties to LaVilla Sports Bar & amp; Grille in Struthers took $2.5 million in bets, the FBI says.
The Vindicator obtained search warrant affidavits -- 74 pages in all -- authored by FBI Special Agent Joseph A. Bushner. The documents were unsealed Wednesday afternoon by U.S. District Judge Paul R. Matia in Cleveland.
The court papers detail how the FBI built a gambling case now pending in federal court.
Agents received a federal court order to bug suspected bookmakers' phones from Nov. 10 to Dec. 9, 2001.
During that time, Kevin Almasy, 35, and Todd Yallech, 35, both of Boardman, took bets on two phones subscribed to by another Boardman resident, Angelo Mosco, 48, the FBI said. The bets totaled $710,685.
Joseph Vaio, 53, of Struthers, and Dennis Billec, 40, of Campbell, took bets on two phones subscribed to by Extreme Lawn Care in Hillsville, Pa., the FBI said. The bets totaled $1.8 million.
A separate 30-day wiretap was issued for Almasy's cell phone. From Dec. 22, 2001, to Jan. 5, 2002, the FBI intercepted 700 calls, 280 of which dealt specifically with gambling activity, the FBI said.
Indictments
Vaio, Billec, Mosco, Almasy, Yallech and 11 others were indicted last week and charged with violating federal gambling laws. All 16 are free on $10,000 unsecured bond.
The others charged are:
Steve "Moose" Almasy, 66, Poland; Ronald Beshara, 52, Canfield; William McCullough, 53, North Lima; Richard Milano, 46, Campbell; Frank Daltorio, 40, Boardman; Patrice Almasy, 33, Boardman; Frank Angelo, 48, Hubbard; Richard Burnett, 57, Struthers; James Donghia, 34, Bessemer, Pa.; John Yurko, 56, Boardman; and Vito Yeropoli, 30, Hillsville, Pa.
Daltorio, Milano and Vaio are also charged with destruction of property to prevent seizure.
Burnett is computer operation supervisor at Youngstown State University. Yeropoli is a Mahoning Township supervisor and vice president of Sky King Fireworks in Hillsville.
Tips given to FBI
The FBI received an anonymous letter dated Jan. 10, 2001, detailing a "major gambling racket in the Struthers-Boardman area" with LaVilla Sports Bar & amp; Grille on Youngstown-Poland Road at its center. The letter referred to large-scale sports gambling and gave Kevin Almasy's and Yallech's cell phone numbers and the address of an office they used.
In January 2001, the FBI also received information from a cooperating witness who has a criminal record and who also placed bets with those now under indictment. Agents said they believe that Steve Almasy, who operates LaVilla, had a managerial role in the bookmaking business.
Bushner said in his affidavits that bookmakers charge bettors a 10-percent fee on all losing bets. The fee provides the bookie with his source of income.
Phone conversations
The FBI affidavits contain snippets of intercepted phone conversations that relate to bets, such as this from Nov. 18, 2001:
Yallech said to Kevin Almasy: "[Bettor's name] wants to bet on St. Louis [Rams] for 10 dimes." A dime is $1,000.
Almasy responded: "Tell him Moose and KK [Kevin Almasy's code name] said only five, that's all they want."
On Jan. 11, 2002, Yallech told Kevin Almasy that they were at "zero" three weeks prior and were now at $88,507. "We won 88 in the past three weeks," the FBI heard Yallech say on the wiretap.
Intercepted conversations show that Kevin Almasy told bettors and bookmakers to meet him at LaVilla and told Yallech to "drop off their 'stuff' at the bar." The FBI said fruits of the gambling operation, including cash, were kept at Steve Almasy's home.
Locations searched
Search warrants in January 2002 allowed agents to enter these locations looking for evidence of sports and other bookmaking operations:
ULaVilla Sports Bar & amp; Grille, 810-812 Youngstown-Poland Road.
U2284 Country Lane, Poland, Steve Almasy's residence.
UHotel rooms in the Boardman-Youngstown area rented by Yallech and Kevin Almasy on Jan. 20, 2002. The FBI said the men typically used hotel rooms in Boardman -- Fairfield Inn, Hampton Inn, Red Roof Inn, Residence Inn and Holiday Inn -- as roving offices on Saturdays and Sundays or holidays when college or professional football games were played.
U5500 Market St, Suite 103, Boardman, JTC Inc., used by Yurko and Burnett.
U8 Midwood Circle, Boardman, Kevin Almasy's residence.
U7421 E. Huntington Drive, Boardman, Yallech's residence.
U6691 Lockwood Blvd., Unit 2, Boardman, used by Vaio and Billec.
U1993 Wolosyn Circle, Unit 2, Boardman, used by Daltorio and Frank Carron. Carron is not charged.
U526 Neoka Drive, Campbell, Milano's residence.
U6385 Catawba Drive, Unit 1, Canfield, Beshara's residence.
U9144 Sharrott Road, Beaver Township, McCullough's residence.
UVegas Slot Co., 5130 Youngstown-Poland Road, Struthers, owned by Billec.
UThe Difference, a men's clothing store at 7098 Lockwood, Boardman, owned by Randy Kostek.
Bushner's affidavit shows that Vaio and Billec placed calls to and received calls from Kostek, who is not charged. Kostek placed numerous lottery bets with Vaio and Billec, according to a transcript of intercepted calls.
The indictment asks for forfeiture of LaVilla Sports Bar and Grille; 8 Midwood Circle; and the liquor permit in the name of Sally Ann Almasy, doing business as LaVilla. Steve and Sally Ann Almasy are married; Kevin is their son, and Patrice is his wife.
meade@vindy.com