Go Go cabaret defendants go to trial this week

By Elise Franco

efranco@vindy.com

Youngstown

Go Go Cabaret owner Sebastian Rucci and Mahoning County prosecutors will finally have their sides heard, more than a year after the business owner was charged in a multiple-count indictment alleging illicit activities at his club.

Monday is opening day of the trial in which Rucci and four others — Curtis “C.J.” Jones, Derrick L. Dozier, Wayne Penny and Peter E. Sciullo II — are charged with engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, money laundering, perjury and two counts each of promoting prostitution.

Additionally, Robert Neill, former cabaret manager and the former sole shareholder, is charged with one count of promoting prostitution, according to court records.

Maureen A. Sweeney, of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court, was originally assigned to the case.

It was reassigned to visiting Judge Thomas P. Curran, of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court, after several capital cases were assigned to Judge Sweeney’s docket, said Robert Bush, a former assistant Mahoning County prosecutor who is still helping with the case.

“She had several capital cases coming up, and her docket became very congested,” he said.

Bush said if all runs smoothly in the morning, jury selection could begin as early as this afternoon.

“They don’t like to have the jury pool just sitting around,” he said. “We may actually start jury selection after lunch.”

Rucci, who is defending himself, said jury selection has the potential to take time because of media coverage of the club over the past several years.

Read the full story Monday, and watch for complete coverage this week of the trial in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com