After an hour of closed-door meetings with investigators, prosecutors and his attorney, a Clarks Summit man indicted with a local reputed mob boss in an alleged money-laundering scheme did not enter a guilty plea as planned Friday.
Court documents indicated Frank Pavlico III would plead guilty to one count of money laundering Friday at 11 a.m.
Mr. Pavlico walked into a federal courtroom late Friday morning with his attorney, Jeremy D. Frey. They followed Assistant U.S. Attorney Gordon Zubrod and several FBI and IRS investigators into a room off the courtroom and closed the door.
At one point, the attorneys met with U.S. District Judge James M. Munley in the judge’s chambers. None of the discussions was open to the public.
Mr. Pavlico, 37, of Julius Lane, was indicted two years ago on charges he conspired with Louis Pagnotti III, of West Pittston, to launder drug money through a coal company controlled by Mr. Pagnotti.
Last year, a federal grand jury named Mr. Pavlico and Mr. Pagnotti as co-conspirators in a money-laundering scheme with reputed local mob boss William D’Elia, 59, who was indicted on 18 counts, including conspiracy, money laundering, solicitation of homicide and witness tampering.
Mr. D’Elia, of Hughestown, identified in IRS reports filed in the money-laundering case as head of the Bufalino crime family, is being held on a bail violation and awaiting trial.
Judge Munley’s courtroom deputy, Sylvia Murphy, said Friday that Mr. Pavlico did not enter a guilty plea because there were still issues that “need to be worked out.”
“Discussion between parties took place (Friday),” she said. “The plea hearing will be rescheduled.”
Mr. D’Elia recently changed attorneys in his criminal case. Jury selection is scheduled to begin April 23. He faces a maximum sentence of 245 years in prison and $4 million in fines if convicted of all charges.
Mr. Pagnotti also is awaiting trial, though no date has been set yet. In June, attorney Christopher Casey filed notice that Mr. Pagnotti intended to use an insanity defense in the case.
http://www.thetimes-tribune.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17835916&BRD=2185&PAG=461&dept_id=416046&rfi=6
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