The Philadelphia Inquirer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Page B04

B4 www.philly.com THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER Friday, May 5, 2006 Businessmen's city bribery case goes to jury Rick Mariano took money They say a payment to the from the father and son. councilman was a loan. By Michael Currie Schaffer INQUIRER STAFF WRITER Are Louis and Philip Char-tock simply victims of a dirty politician and a thieving bookkeeper? Or are they themselves crooks, a father-son duo who bribed a city councilman to get ship with Philip Chartock. "One of the things that crossed my mind was, 'Why don't you pick one someone your own Ainslie said. Robert F.

Simone, an attorney for Louis Chartock, said key prosecution witnesses were flawed, not Wybranski: Greer, for instance, was initially charged with stealing $46,000 from Erie but pleaded guilty to a single misdemeanor and received probation in exchange for her testimony. "The government's case, based on these trashy witnesses, if you will, makes one at least hesitate," Simone said. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenya S. Mann told jurors that the evidence proved that the Chartocks had turned Mariano into "a secretly paid employee of Erie Steel" and connived to hide that fact.

Mann took aim at key pieces of defense testimony, heaping scorn on a letter the Chartocks had claimed was a loan receipt one bit of truth is in the entire on Louis Char-tock's claim that he had retired to Florida and wasn't involved in daily business affairs Chartock did the bribing and the laundering with the knowledge and approval of his dear old and on the testimony of Erie office manager Andrea Wy-branski, who described Mari for his help on zoning and regulatory issues for their business, Erie Steel. Mariano was convicted in March of taking the bribes; he stepped down on Monday and is to be sentenced in July. Over two weeks of trial, the Chartocks have maintained that an initial $5,873 payment of Mariano's credit-card bill was a loan. And they have alleged that the councilman worked with Erie bookkeeper Maggie Greer to steal the balance of the money by laundering it through other businessmen. Greer pleaded guilty last year to a separate embezzlement charge.

The contrasting visions of the Chartocks played out in final arguments yesterday. ano conferring in private with Greer sat in that witness stand and lied to But Elizabeth Ainslie, Philip Chartock's attorney, said there were major holes in the government's case. Though she conceded that three Erie checks had gone to Mariano, she said they weren't bribes, noting that Philip Chartock had readily told several people he had lent Mariano money. As to Mariano's failure to mention the loan on annual financial disclosure forms, she said that was not her client's responsibility. Ainslie also brought up the prosecution's fierce Wednesday afternoon cross-examining of Wybranski, when the 23-year-old office manager wept after being grilled about her friend Heritage Residential cordially invites you for a tasting Wine Cheese! Dpen House Saturday, May 6th 2DD6 pm pm Heritage at Lederach Golf Club 5DD Championship Drive ARLEYSVILLE, PA 1 943S 2 1 5-5 1 3-439D FBI worker guilty of passing secrets The Deptford man told of giving classified files to Philippine plotters for five years.

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Aragoncillo, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in the Philippines, pleaded guilty to a four-count indictment. The top charge, conspiracy to transmit national defense information, can carry the death penalty, but under the plea agreement he faces 15 to 20 years in prison. block of Walnut Lane, was convicted in two separate trials last year of raping or molesting five girls. He faces sentencing June 26, when he could receive a prison term of 15 to more than 100 years.

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Sentencing was scheduled for Aug. 14. U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Christie said outside court that the government had not sought the death penalty because the leaked information had not resulted in physical harm.

However, he said, "it was information that had the potential to compromise U.S. national security." In answering 101 questions from Assistant U.S. Attorney Karl H. Buch, Aragoncillo admitted taking dozens of documents from White House and FBI computers. One question asked whether he had known that a document he took in February 2005 from an FBI computer at Fort Monmouth "contained national defense information relating to terrorist threats to U.S.

military personnel in the Philippines." As with all the questions, Aragoncillo answered, "Yes, sir." The former Marine, shackled personality disorder that makes the person likely to engage in predatory sexually violent offenses." "He's the person this statute was designed for," Assistant District Attorney Leslie Gomez said. "He's that person who otherwise appears respectful and appears honorable but under the surface he's a pedophile." Joseph was convicted in June of raping two girls when they were 11 and 14 years old. In No Bensalem apartment. Police found Christian Rojas, a 28-year-old computer programmer from Costa Rica, dead in a bathtub on Aug. 27.

Savage and Lavelle were arrested six days later in Nags Head, N.C., allegedly in possession of Rojas' car. Savage's attorney, Keith Williams, argued that Savage was going through drug withdrawal and incapable of making a sound statement when he told police that Rojas died during a struggle with him. Judge Rea B. Boylan denied a big favors out of Philadelphia's government? Those are the questions a jury will begin weighing this morning in U.S. District Court.

The Chartocks are accused of paying former Councilman Rick Mariano $23,000 in exchange I I I I I J' Philadelphia i 164 Bridge St-Phoafcvlle wwwjCheeseShofUDm (610) 933-5716 Contact staff writer Michael Currie Schaffer at 215-854-4565 or mcschafferphillynews.com. at the feet and wearing green jail garb, said information had been passed by hand, e-mail, fax and telephone. The conspirators used code words for people, including "The Penguin" for Arroyo, Aragoncillo said. Public defender Chester M. Keller said outside court that Aragoncillo had never intended to harm the United States.

"It was his sole intention to help the people of the Philippines," said Keller, who added that his client had not received any money for his efforts. Aragoncillo worked at the White House from 1999 to 2001 and was assigned to the vice president's office. He retired from the Marines as a gunnery sergeant and became an FBI employee in 2004 at Fort Monmouth in central New Jersey. The FBI suspended him after his arrest. vember, he was found guilty of molesting three sisters ages 5, 11 and 17 at the time of the attacks who had been staying at his home.

He faces another trial in August on charges of engaging in involuntary deviant sexual intercourse with a girl starting when she was 15. Contact staff writer Mitch Lipka at 21 5-854-5334 or mlipkaphillynews.com. motion to suppress the statement after a hearing Wednesday. Savage then decided to plead guilty to general homicide and to allow Boylan to determine its degree. A June 15 hearing was set.

If Boylan finds Savage guilty of first-degree murder, a jury will determine whether he should get the death penalty. Lavelle, who also unsuccessfully challenged statements she gave to police, is scheduled for trial June 19. First Assistant District Attorney David W. Zellis has said the death penalty is warranted because Rojas was tortured and robbed during the course of the murder. In a statement to police that was filed in court, Savage said Lavelle told him Rojas had raped her and that the two of them went to Rojas' apartment Aug.

25 to confront him about it. In her statement to police, Lavelle does not mention a rape, but says that Savage grew jealous when she told him that she and Rojas had a sexual relationship. Police said Rojas had broken up with Lavelle after finding out that she was a drug user, but had allowed her to live in his apartment in the week leading up to the killing. Savage told police that he and Lavelle tied up Rojas' body to make police think there was a robbery. They took DVDs, compact discs, a computer and other items that they later pawned, police said.

Savage also took $40 from Rojas' pocket and before fleeing the state with Lavelle, gave some of the money to his 6-year-old daughter for ice cream, according to the statement. "I didn't want any of this to happen," Savage told police. "It's very hard to live with." Contact staff writer Christine Schiavo at 215-348-0337 or cschiavophillynews.com. Bucks murder suspect pleads guilty James Savage tried, but failed, to have a confession suppressed. A judge will now decide the charge.

By Christine Schiavo INQUIRER STAFF WRITER After trying unsuccessfully to have his confession suppressed, one of two suspects in a Bensa-lem murder case has decided to plead guilty to homicide and let a judge decide the degree. The Bucks County District Attorney's Office is seeking the death penalty for James R. Savage, 39, of Bristol Township, and Heather Lavelle, 36, formerly of Bensalem and Newark, in the beating and smothering of Lavelle's former boyfriend in his By Mitch Lipka INQUIRER STAFF WRITER A once-rising gospel music star who served as a church choir director and taught music in Germantown was found to be a sexually violent predator yesterday and must register on Megan's Law lists for the rest of his life. Otis Joseph, 29, of the 7300 Gas Works Safe, Sound Underground We are pleased to announce our ANNUAL MAY SALE With Savings of 10 to 50 On Original Works of Art Natural gas is clean, nontoxic, colorless and lighter than air. It is primarily used for heating, hot water and cooking.

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