The first sentences were handed down on Thursday in the McKeesport area gambling investigation known as Operation Pork Chop.
Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Joseph K. Williams III ordered five-year probations for Kirk A. Mollica, 47, of Elizabeth Township; Ronald D. Prest, 66, a retired McKeesport police sergeant; Frank C. Reese, 62, of McKeesport; Robert H. Bogesdorfer, 68, of Irwin; and Catherine Gouker, 57, of Belle Vernon.
Mollica, Prest, Reese and Bogesdorfer each pleaded guilty to misdemeanor counts of conspiracy and gambling devices.
All felony counts against the four were withdrawn as were some misdemeanors.
Gouker pleaded guilty to the only count against her, a misdemeanor count of gambling devices for allowing their use in the Glassport Diner.
None had comments after their sentencing in a Pittsburgh courtroom, nor did their attorney Angela Rene Carsia.
Carsia stressed positive aspects of her clients to the judge.
For instance, she noted Bogesdorfer runs a booking agency and “he does impersonations of Frank Sinatra.” She said Mollica still is employed by alleged ringleader Ronald “Porky” Melocchi's Back Alley Vending to maintain “legitimate machines,” such as pool tables and jukeboxes.
“No one accepts responsibility,” Williams came back at the defendants. “Everyone remains silent.”
Senior deputy attorney general Michael M. Ahwesh is prosecuting the Operation Pork Chop cases.
He was accompanied in Williams' courtroom by Kaci Young, a Duquesne University law student interning in his office and certified to appear in court cases.
They said four of the five defendants entering pleas had cooperated with the ongoing investigation.
“Mr. Prest was more of a key member of Mr. Melocchi's organization and has not cooperated,” Young argued.
“I don't believe the Attorney General's office ever asked him for cooperation,” Carsia responded.
“We did not actually approach him,” Ahwesh conceded, while suggesting that as a former police officer Prest might want to cooperate.
“The results of this investigation show that the vendors who operate these illegal gaming devices are making substantial tax-free incomes,” said Carolyn E. Myers, spokeswoman for Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane.
Myers said the joint investigation by state police and the Attorney General's office “shows that gambling laws will be enforced within this commonwealth.”
Operation Pork Chop is one of the alleged criminal rings getting attention in a “year in review” Kane's office released on Thursday. Its reference to the Mon-Yough investigation mentioned the 354 video machines seized during raids on Dec. 10, 2012, in which 70 warrants were executed and more than $1 million in cash was confiscated.
Three other Operation Pork Chop defendants had continuances from actions scheduled for Thursday, including Melocchi, 56, of Belle Vernon, McKeesport Councilman Daniel K. Carr, 55, and Twin Oaks restaurant owner Mark Novakovich, 56, of White Oak.
Melocchi and Carr delayed entering pleas until June 26, while Novakovich's attorney Matthew Doebler entered a pre-trial motion delaying a nonjury trial until June 4 on a count of allowing gambling devices in his restaurant.
That is the same day as a separate Operation Pork Chop trial for five other defendants. In all 16 were indicted last September by a state grand jury in connection with Melocchi's alleged Mon-Yough gambling ring.
Melocchi is represented by Carsia's father, Bruce A. Carsia, while Carr is looking for an attorney and filed paperwork to that effect with Williams during a brief court appearance.
Carr had been represented by Angela Rene Carsia but neither he nor Carsia would comment on why their ties were severed.
Patrick Cloonan is a reporter for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-664-9161, ext. 1967, or pcloonan@tribweb.com.
