LAWRENCE COUNTY Felasco headed back to court

The trial is scheduled to begin May 8.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR PENNSYLVANIA BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- It won't likely be a happy birthday Monday for Lawrence County Treasurer Gary Felasco as he goes to court for jury selection for his upcoming trial.
Felasco, who is turning 39, is accused of taking more than $40,000 from his office for personal use. The Pennsylvania Attorney General's office charged the three-time elected treasurer with theft, embezzlement, misapplication of entrusted property of government or financial institutions and a violation of the Pennsylvania public official Ethics Act. A second Ethics Act violation was separated from those charges and will be prosecuted later.
Senior Deputy Attorney General Anthony Krastek said he expects jury selection will take a day. Opening statements and testimony will begin May 8.
Venue
All involved will travel to Franklin, Pa., where the trial was moved because of excessive media coverage locally.
Felasco became the chief focus of taxpayers after The Vindicator was the first to report in March 2004 that he and his now-estranged wife, Jeanine, owed more than $9,500 in delinquent taxes on their Cunningham Avenue home. The Felascos had improper court stays on their property, keeping it from being sold in a county tax sale.
County commissioners immediately removed him from his appointed job as county tax claim bureau director, but could not remove him from his elected post. They did call for the county district attorney and state police to investigate.
A few months later it was revealed that Felasco and his wife had used county cellular telephones to operate a sex club dubbed "Jeannie in a Bottle," which once operated out of a building also housing a church in West Middlesex, Pa.
Arrested and charged
But it wasn't until last Sept. 7 when Felasco was arrested and charged.
Pennsylvania State Police contend he operated a scheme where he would pocket cash paid to his office and substitute checks sent by mail to balance the books. Police say those who paid by check, but were not credited, were later deleted from lists of delinquent taxpayers.
Officials say the scheme came to light after Felasco was removed as tax claim bureau director and taxpayers with valid receipts started to show up as delinquent on the tax rolls.
Felasco's deputy treasurer, Gloria Conti, testified during his preliminary hearing that he would instruct her to take money from the cash drawer and safe and give it to him. Prosecutors contend he used the money to pay his overdue cable bills, buy a conversion van and fund his personal checking account when it was overdrawn. Conti has been given immunity from prosecution in exchange for her testimony.
Lawrence County commissioners, who felt the brunt of the anger against Felasco when the allegations were first made, say the public has stopped questioning them about Felasco at weekly county commissioner meetings.
Quotable
"I think as the trial approaches people are focusing more on the legal issues and not their feelings about his character and competency to stay in office. I think the focus is on the trial and that's where it needs to be," Commissioner Steve Craig said.
Several unsuccessful attempts were made to remove Felasco from office in the last few years, including one by the previous District Attorney Matt Mangino, who asserted that Felasco had abandoned his office and is now living in Ashtabula, Ohio, with his wife and children.
And the firestorm that once raged around Felasco has mellowed in recent months. That was evidenced earlier this month when a new set of theft charges was filed against Felasco by state police for money missing from the National Association of the Wolves Club and few turned out for his arraignment.
Krastek, who would not comment on the case directly, said he has about 40 witnesses slated to testify in this current case.
Felasco's attorney, Jim Ross of Beaver, Pa., refused to comment on the trial.
Commissioner Dan Vogler said he's relieved the trial is finally starting.
"This has been a long ordeal -- two years plus. Now we're coming down to where the facts will be laid out and a jury will make a decision," he said. "My hope is the prosecution will have a compelling case that will come to an appropriate conclusion."