The Philadelphia Inquirer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Page 17

Wednesday, Feb. 19, 1992 The Philadelphia Inquirer B7' Mob used golf resort for gambling, probers say? nonsense, club says WEfRE BACK HERE'S IK "I swore I'd never go back, but the new managment team persuaded me there really was a difference at the Sheraton in Valley Forgc.and they were right!" Barbara Stickler General Electric knownst to him, Anthony Piccolo held a hidden interest in the club between 1974 and 1985. The ownership was through a maintenance service company that Piccolo controlled. But Procacci said he bought out Piccolo's interest for $100,000 in 1985. Piccolo, who is the cousin of imprisoned Philadelphia mob boss Ni-codemo "Little Nicky" Scarfo, was the acting boss of the Scarfo crime family from 1987 until last spring, the SCI said.

SCI investigators also said that Sparacio, identified as a major mob bookmaker, and several of his associates frequented the country club. Three of those associates, Blase Salvatore James Grandrimo Sr. and James Grandrimo are club members. Sparacio, the SCI said, used the country club "as a place to meet and further" his gambling operations. When asked by the SCI yesterday whether Piccolo ever had any involvement in the management of the club, Procacci said, "Absolutely not." And when asked whether there was ever any illegal gambling on the Jersey.

He was also one of the few, outside of law enforcement investigators and mobster-turned-informant Thomas DelGiorno, who did not refuse to testify. Among those who exercised their right against self-incrimination and declined to answer questions posed by the SCI were popular Philadelphia-area disc jockey Jerry Blavat, who was described by investigators as a long-time associate of the Philadelphia mob, and reputed mob members Anthony "Tony Buck" Piccolo and Salvatore "Shotsie" Spara-cio. The two-day hearings are the result of a year-long joint investigation by the SCI and the New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) into the mob's hidden ownership and control of certain bars, taverns and restaurants. Officials say that the investigation shows that organized crime figures routinely use bars and restaurants as fronts for money laundering, drug trafficking, gambling, loansharking and prostitution. AH that may be true, Michael Procacci said yesterday.

But none of it applies to the Medford Village Resort and Country Club, a private country club and golf course whose 328 members pay between SI, 650 and $2,550 annually to join. Procacci answered a series of questions posed by an SCI attorney during the early part of yesterday morning's hearing, then expanded on them during an interview in his office at the country club in the afternoon. "They made it appear like I was harboring underworld characters here," Procacci said of the SCI hearing. "These people are sick." Procacci conceded that, unbe By Georiro AnaNtaxia IMJI'IHKH STAFF WKITKK It hardly looks like a mob hangout. The Medford Village Resort and Country Club sits on ISO rolling acres at the end or Golf View Road in one of the many upscale sections of Medford Township.

The resort's long, low, modern brick clubhouse includes a dining room, bar, administrative offices and a pro shop. In the carpeted lobby, under a glass case that extends from floor to ceiling, is the coveted President's Cup trophy. Out back, on the fringe of the 18-hole golf course, sit the neatly appointed cabana and swimming pool, and the tennis courts. But yesterday in Trenton, investigators with the New Jersey State Commission of Investigation (SCI) said some of the people who frequent the club are more interested in betting lines than baselines, more concerned about point spreads than putting greens. In fact, investigators contended, a major Philadelphia mob figure held a hidden interest in the club from 1974 through 1985 and even after his interest was bought out, mob associates involved in book-making and other forms of illegal gambling continued to use the club as a "safe haven." "It was common knowledge that since the early 1980s until a year ago, the facility was used by members of the BrunoScarfo organization to further their gambling activities," said investigator Michael Hoey.

"Baloney," said Michael Procacci president of the club. "This whole thing is so distorted." Procacci was one of several witnesses to appear before the SCI during the first of two days of hearings into organized crime infiltration of the bar and liquor industry in New Everything was excellent, from the hotel accommodations to their meeting space, the meals and the great show at Lily Langtry's. And it's been just as excellent every time we go back!" How much can a new managment company really accomplish? According to Stickler, "you can sense the difference from the moment you walk in the door. It's a new attitude reflected in the employees, and a new level of service in every phase of your stay!" Finally, 'They came through on their promises. We're extremely pleased that we gave them another you will be too." "We stopped using the Sheraton Valley Forgein 1989," explained Barbara Stickler from General Electric in King of Prussia.

"We vowed we would never go back. Period. But a few months ago we started hearing that things had changed. Oneoftheirsalcsmanagerscameinand made a presentation and a promise: the facilities were better, cleaner and they guaranteed we'd notice the difference. They were right!" Stickler, whobringsclients into the area from all over the world began using the newly named Valley Forge Convention Plaza complex.

"We brought in very important clients from Taiwan. premises, he again replied, "Abso lutely not. Procacci, sitting in his office sev-eral hours later, likened the hearing to an inquisition and questioned the fairness of the process. He said he and his attorney look forward to the chance to cross-examine witnesses and present evidence at a pending ABC administrative hearing in which his facility's liquor license will be challenged. The country club operates with a so-called "club" license, a restricted license that limits sales to members and their guests.

Among other things, the SCI contended that the license was a "sham" and should be revoked. Bucks case dismissed against scoutmaster USAIR'S NEW NONSTOP TO SARASOTA. him during a February 1989 trip to Camp Ockanickon. At least four witnesses verified that Fried was not there, Rubenstein said. "It was one of the few trips he missed," said Sigman.

The accuser in that case is also the accuser in the Montgomery County case. But Sigman said that the boy is "a tainted witness" and that he will ask prosecutors there to reconsider the charges. A second Scout said Fried touched him during a game at Camp Ockan Go Ahead And Take A vacation. We WONT STOP YOU ickon last winter. He was 12.

But investigators determined that the boy misinterpreted Fried's actions as sexual, Zelus said. The third Scout said that he was fondled by Fried during trips to Camp Ockanickon in 1987 and 1988 and that he was assaulted again dur ing a 1989 camp-out at Treasure Is By John P.Martin M'Ki IAI.TO THF.IMJUHF.H A Philadelphia man accused of molesting three Boy Scouts walked free from Bucks County Court yesterday after the prosecutor dropped two cases against him. A judge, citing a 1920 property deed, dismissed the third. Judge Edward G. Biester Jr.

freed William J. Fried because the deed proved that one alleged offense occurred on a Delaware River island that is actually part of New Jersey. "Where is the jurisdiction of the Bucks County Court?" Biester asked David Zellis, a senior deputy district attorney. "Apparently, there isn't any," Zellis responded. Fried, 43, a tax accountant and longtime scoutmaster from Northeast Philadelphia, declined to comment on the decision.

He still faces molestation charges in Montgomery County. His attorney. Jeffrey A. Sig-man, repeated his contention that Fried is innocent. Fried was arrested last fall after one of the boys told a therapist that he was molested by Fried during Boy Scout camping trips in Montgomery and Bucks Counties.

Two other youths later said Fried touched them during trips to Camp Ockanickon in Plumstead Township, Bucks County. The boys all are Philadelphia residents. Bucks County District Attorney Alan Rubenstein said last week that there was insufficient evidence to support contentions by two of the boys. Yesterday, Zellis informed the judge of Rubenstcin's decision to drop the charges. One of the alleged victims, now 14, told detectives that Fried molested land, a Boy Scout-owned island along the Delaware River near Tinicum Township.

The statute of limitations had expired for the alleged incidents at Camp Ockanickon, but Zellis in tended to argue that they were part of a pattern of continuing conduct that concluded with the Treasure Island trip. After examining a 1920 property deed that gave the Boy Scouts owner Starting March 2, USAir will have the only nonstop service from Philadelphia to Sarasota. We'll depart at 9:55 a.m. every day and arrive at 12:45 leaving you plenty of sun time the very first day. ship of the island, Biester accepted Sigman's contention that the island was part of Kingwood Township.

N.J "Obviously we're disappointed, to say the least, Zellis said later. Zellis said he would forward the investigation material to the Prose-cutor's Office in Hunterdon County, N.J., which has jurisdiction over the island. Steven Lember, the first as sistant prosecutor there, said his office would undertake its own SARASOTA oi if 1 SARASOTA PHILADELPHIA Officers' son among 3 held in shooting at Montco bar THE ONLY NONSTOP and Johnson, 27, of Horsham, were listed in stable condition yesterday at Abington Memorial Hospital, according to a hospital spokeswoman Contact your travel consultant or call USAir at 1(800) 428-4322. Because everything we do begins with you. Police refused to say what may have led to the shooting, but local residents who were interviewed said the car's occupants had gotten into an argument earlier with other bar patrons.

Most of the witnesses, who did not want' their names used, said USAir the shootings of Swift and Johnson appeared to have been random. Ab ington police Sgt. Thomas McNa-mara, however, disputed that. Police say that while two witnesses identified Cherry as the gunman, all three suspects had been charged with three counts each of attempted homicide, criminal conspiracy and By Mac Daniel SI K( IA1. K1THK IN1 IHKU Three men, including the 19-year-old son of two Philadelphia police officers, have been charged in the shooting of two men in front of an Abington Township bar on Monday.

One of the men arrested, Christopher R. Cherry Jr. of Mount Airy, went with his father, a 22-year veteran of the police force, to turn himself in to Abington police around 11:15 p.m., about five hours after the shooting near the Crestmont Country Club, a bar at 2250 Hamilton Ave. Andre Christopher Miller, 18, and Aaron Braddock, 22, both of Philadelphia, were arrested by city police about 5 a.m. yesterday and were awaiting arraignment last night.

Cherry was being held, with cash bail set at $500,000, following an arraignment yesterday. Each was charged with three counts of attempted homicide. The shooting occurred at 5:51 p.m. when a car carrying three men entered an empty parking lot near the intersection of Hamilton and Prospect Avenues in the Crestmont section, Abington police said. One man, whom police said two witnesses identified as Cherry, got out and fired several rounds from a 9mm semiautomatic pistol, hitting Walter Swift in the chest as he stood across the street from the bar and Brian Johnson in both legs as he stood in front of the bar.

The rented vehicle was recovered in Abington. Both Swift, 41, of Willow Grove, simple assault and four counts of aggravated assault and recklessly en dangering another person. Cherry's attorney, Jeffrey Ko-lansky, said the charges and the $500,000 bail were excessive, and he argued successfully before District Justice Joseph Dougherty that bail should be reconsidered after the two other suspects were arraigned. A bail hearing was set for Friday USAir begins with you Kolansky said Cherry who works for Bell of Pennsylvania, turned himself in as soon as he 3" heard police were looking for him. Miller, of the 6000 block of North 21st Street, and Braddock, of the 2000 block of Godfrey Avenue, were arrested on warrants signed by Abing ton police and Montgomery County detectives..