A judge granted continuances Thursday in the last Operation Pork Chop trials scheduled before seven alleged ring members are to enter pleas.
Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Donald E. Machen reset until June 4 trials for James A. Cerqua, Mark P. Holtzman, Terrence P. McNelis, Rodney E. Iannelli and Jeffrey F. Risha.
Baldwin resident McNelis, 52, Ohio Township resident Iannelli, 53, and Clairton Municipal Authority member Cerqua, 58, each are charged with felony counts of involvement in a corrupt organization, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity and conspiracy, and several misdemeanors apiece.
Cerqua is charged with gambling devices, bookmaking and two different conspiracies, McNelis with setting up a numbers game, bookmaking and conspiracy, and Iannelli with setting up a numbers game and conspiracy.
Forward Township police Chief Holtzman, 57, is charged with felony counts of corrupt organization and conspiracy, and misdemeanor counts of allowing gambling and conspiracy.
Risha, 59, of Belle Vernon is charged with bookmaking, a misdemeanor.
That clears the way for the first pleas in the case on April 17 at 9 a.m.
Common Pleas Judge Joseph K. Williams III will hear pleas from alleged ringleader Ronald “Porky” Melocchi, as well as McKeesport Councilman Daniel K. Carr and Kirk A. Mollica, Ronald D. Prest, Frank C. Reese, Robert H. Bogesdorfer and Catherine Gouker.
Melocchi, 56, is charged with felony counts of corrupt organization, conspiring to use profits of unlawful activities, dealing in proceeds of those activities, and criminal use of a communication facility, as well as 53 misdemeanor counts, 49 of which involve gambling devices.
Carr, 55, is charged with felony counts of corrupt organization and conspiring to use profits in other investments, two misdemeanor counts of allowing gambling and one misdemeanor count of conspiring to install devices.
Mollica, 46, of Elizabeth Township is charged with the same felonies as Melocchi, and four misdemeanors — two of conspiracy and one each of gambling devices and numbers games.
Prest, 66, a retired McKeesport police sergeant, is charged with the same felonies as Melocchi, and misdemeanor counts of gambling devices and conspiracy.
Reese, 62, of McKeesport is charged with felony corrupt organizations and conspiracy and misdemeanor gambling devices and conspiracy counts.
Bogesdorfer, 67, of Irwin is charged with felony corrupt organizations, conspiracy and dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity, and misdemeanor gambling devices and conspiracy counts.
Gouker, 56, of Belle Vernon is charged with one misdemeanor count of allowing gambling.
All seven entering pleas are represented by attorneys Bruce A. Carsia and Angela Rene Carsia.
Williams has a nonjury Operation Pork Chop trial that day for Mark Novakovich, 56, of White Oak on one count of allowing gambling at his Twin Oaks restaurant. He is represented by Pittsburgh attorney Matthew Doebler.
After the April 17 pleas, nonjury trials are slated for Pork Chop defendants Eugene T. “Red” Kowalski, 66, of North Huntingdon Township on May 19 (three felony counts, two misdemeanors), Timothy J. Minkus, 32, of West Mifflin (three felony counts, three misdemeanors) on May 27, and retired McKeesport police Lt. Arthur D. Pero, 57, (two misdemeanors) on June 3.
All 16 defendants are free on nonmonetary bond.
Patrick Cloonan is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-664-9161, ext. 1967, or pcloonan@tribweb.com.
