PURCHASING PROBE Salesman testifies to grand jury

The salesman spent about 45 minutes in front of a grand jury.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- An industrial supplies salesman who told prosecutors that the words fund-raisers, tickets and golf outings are used as substitutes for bribery in Trumbull County testified Wednesday before a county grand jury.
For the first time since pleading guilty to two misdemeanor counts of bribery and one misdemeanor count of theft, Barry Bonchek, 61, a salesman for Kinzua Environmental Inc. of Cleveland, testified for about 45 minutes.
Atty. Michael C. Hennenberg, who represents Bonchek, said his client was subpoenaed to testify. He said he did not know if Bonchek would be required to return to the grand jury.
Hennenberg, who was not allowed inside the grand jury with his client, waited in the hall.
Grand jury proceedings are secret and not open to the public. It is not known when the grand jury will be finished hearing testimony.
Portage County Prosecutor Victor C. Viglucci, the special prosecutor assigned to the county purchasing scandal, declined to comment.
A county maintenance worker also was subpoened to testify.
This is the third time the grand jury has met since Viglucci was appointed special prosecutor in August.
Commissioner James Tsagaris, who has testified in front of the grand jury several times, said he was not subpoened for Wednesday's session.
"I don't know these salesman at all or what the grand jury is doing," Tsagaris said.
Says he paid thousands
Bonchek gave a written affidavit to county prosecutors in August stating he paid out thousands of dollars yearly in return for getting a chance to do business in Trumbull County. He said the words fund-raisers, tickets and golf outings are used as substitutes for bribery in this county.
Bonchek, of Cleveland, is free on a $5,000 bond. Judge Andrew Logan of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court said Bonchek will be sentenced after the investigation into the county maintenance department is completed.
He could receive up to 18 months in jail. He also has paid $27,000 in restitution.
The salesman also stated in the two-page affidavit that he had a county public official tell him: "Never forget me, and I won't forget you." The affidavit does not mention any public officials by name.
Besides Tsagaris, Commissioner Joseph Angelo, former Commissioner Michael O'Brien and Sheriff Thomas Altiere all have been subpoenaed to testify before the grand jury hearing evidence on the purchasing probe.
Bonchek also admitted selling a large amount of products or charging excessive prices to the county in an attempt to get back some of the money he paid to public officials.
Course of investigation
The Vindicator began running stories about excessive prices for cleaning supplies and shoddy bookkeeping in the maintenance department in August 2002.
Shortly after the stories were published, Prosecutor Dennis Watkins launched an investigation and asked the state Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation and the state auditor's office for assistance.
Since the investigation began, Tony Delmont, the former maintenance department director, his wife, Karen, and several vendors have been indicted.
sinkovich@vindy.com