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Former Warren Engineer Charged with Racketeering, Bribery"
CLEVELAND -- Former Warren city engineer David Robison was charged under a multi-count indictment with taking bribes and kickbacks from contractors in connection with construction projects from the early 1990s through the summer of 2000. Robison also was charged with participating in schemes to defraud Ohio Edison, Erie Insurance Group, cancer charities, individuals interested in contributing to chancer charities, the manager of Avalon South Golf Course and the city of Warren. In the indictment was unsealed this morning and announced by Gregory A. White, U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Ohio. Robison, age 52, of Cortland, was charged with one count of racketeering, one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, two counts of bribery and 22 counts of mail fraud. The indictment alleges that contractors and entities paid bribes to Robison, with the assistance of Robison's former chief building officer, James Lapmardo, who acted as a middleman in passing bribes from contractors to Robison. In exchange for Robison's and Lapmardo's assistance in obtaining contracts, approving change orders and other favors, the indictment alleges that Robison and Lapmardo received payments from James Nicolaus of T & J Construction Inc. and Enterprises Inc., Warren; Dante Massacci Sr. J & J And Dante Massacci Jr. of South Main Sand & Gravel, Warren; and Anthony Cervone and Matthew Mesaros of Innerscope Technical Services Inc., Youngstown. Nicolaus, the Massaccis, Cervone, Mesaros and Lapmardo have entered guilty pleas to federal charges.The indictment also alleges that Robison engaged in a scheme to defraud cancer charities, people who thought they were donating to cancer charities, Avalon South Golf Course and the city of Warren. The scheme involved an annual golf outing that purported to raise funds for a cancer charity. Instead, the government alleges, Robison pocketed most of money that was raised. The indictment further alleges that Robison and Gregory Petrasek, a former area manager for Ohio Edison, engaged in a scheme to defraud Ohio Edison, Avalon South Golf Course and Erie Insurance Group in connection with a fraudulent insurance claim for stolen golf clubs.In addition, the indictment alleges that Robison and Petrasek FormerOhioEdisonManagerChargedwithMailFraud.asp, charged Jan. 2, defrauded Ohio Edison by causing the utility issue credits to Robison's residential electric bill and to several Avalon accounts. The case was presented to the federal grand jury by assistant U.S. attorneys Matthew B. Kall and Ann C. Rowland. The charges were investigated by the public corruption task force of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Youngstown office."