4 plead innocent to misdemeanors

Staff report

WARREN

Sergio DiPaolo of Girard and three employees who were found inside a former Delphi Packard Electric building on Dana Street removing salvage last month have pleaded innocent to misdemeanor charges.

DiPaolo purchased the three former Delphi buildings on Dana and Griswold streets Jan. 26 but began demolition work without first applying for the necessary permits, said Chris Taneyhill, Warren building official.

DiPaolo, of Isabelle Drive, is charged with failing to register with the city as a contractor, working on a building without applying for a demolition permit and disobeying the stop-work order.

The three workers, Richard L. Herman Jr. of Youngstown, John E. Serratta III of Niles and Kenneth P. Foltz of Youngstown, are charged with failing to comply with a stop-work order.

All three provided a written innocent plea to their charges to Judge Terry Ivanchak of Warren Municipal Court and did not have to appear in person during their scheduled arraignment Tuesday.

No bond amount was set for any of the four men.

DiPaolo also faces criminal charges in Warren Municipal Court in relation to work he has done at Diversified Resources in Champion, where he’s accused of dumping truckloads of concrete and mixed construction and demolition debris. That is a felony charge.

Diversified Resources is across the state Route 5 Bypass from the former Copperweld Steel mill.

DiPaolo and his employees are due back in Warren Municipal Court for a pretrial hearing regarding the facilities at Dana and Griswold streets at 10:15 a.m. March 30.