State police allege business owners and bartenders at seven Trafford taverns facilitated illegal gambling by installing video poker machines and paying cash to customers who won credits.
State troopers this week filed charges against 13 people, with many of the charges stemming from the simultaneous raids of four of the businesses on Aug. 14.
In all, police said they seized $4,269 cash and 18 poker or video-slot machines that evening from Rumpshakers Sports Bar and Grill and Parente's Ristorante, both on Cavitt Avenue, and Old Trafford Sports Bar and Christopher Columbus Club, both on Brinton Avenue.
Owners of the 7th Street Tavern, Guido's Pizza and Seldom Inn also were charged with first-degree misdemeanor offenses for violating the state's gambling laws.
In affidavits of probable cause supporting the charges, police said they received complaints that customers were receiving illegal payments for playing the machines.
Borough police were not involved in the investigation, and elected officials had little information about the pending charges until they were filed this week.
"We expect if a business is going to run in Trafford, we expect it to be run legally," Mayor Kevin Karazsia said Friday.
The defendants either declined to comment yesterday or could not be reached for an interview. They are:
• William R. Kornrumph, 53, of 521 Second St., Pitcairn, who has the liquor license for Rumpshakers.
• Elise M. Conley, 31, of 306 Duquesne Ave., Trafford, a bartender at Rumpshakers.
• Renee Parente Cappetta, 53, of 68 Fourth St., Irwin, owner of Old Trafford Sports Club and Parente's Ristorante.
• Denine C. Waitt, 31, of 814 Blue Ridge Road, Pittsburgh, a bartender at Old Trafford Sports Club.
• Danyelle Marie Cooper, 31, of 1112 Maple Drive, Apt. 1, Turtle Creek, a bartender at Parente's Ristorante.
• James Michael Kromer, 49, of 127 Seventh St. Ext., Trafford, the owner of 7th Street Tavern.
• Paul J. Ondulich, 49, of 760 Seventh St., Trafford, a bartender at 7th Street Tavern.
• Joseph N. Schopp, 70, of 99 First Ave., Trafford, who owns the liquor license for the Christopher Columbus Club.
• Jackie Marie Smirga, 21, of 730 Eighth St., Trafford, a bartender at the Christopher Columbus Club.
• Sarah Ann Bristow, 22, of 1229 Newton St., Larimer, a bartender at the Christopher Columbus Club.
• Guido Bucci, 26, of 413 Garnet Way, Pittsburgh, owner of Guido's Pizza.
• Dennis P. Plassio, 55, of 604 Dixie Drive, Pittsburgh, owner of the liquor license for a business in the name of Jillian's Hotel, for which he is president. He was charged for offenses at Seldom Inn.
• Susan M. Plassio, 57, of 604 Dixie Drive, Pittsburgh, bartender at Seldom Inn.
Preliminary hearings are scheduled for next month before District Judge Helen Kistler.
Although the charges were filed by state police, a state Gaming Control Board spokesman said the state can distribute as much as $5 million annually in local law enforcement grants to locate and remove gambling machines operating outside licensed casinos.
More than $3 million has been awarded through 29 grants this year, the first in which the grants have been available, spokesman Doug Harbach said.
None of the grants have gone to Westmoreland County police departments.
