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Judith Infante guilty

Former mayor’s trial scheduled to begin Monday

Judith Infante, left, wife of former Niles mayor Ralph Infante, looks up at her attorney Louis DeFabio as she pleads no contest to charges before visiting Judge Patricia Cosgrove Thursday afternoon. She was found guilty of one count each of filing false income tax records and falsifying records. Sentencing is set May 15. Tribune Chronicle / R. Michael Semple

WARREN — The trial for former Niles Mayor Ralph Infante is expected to begin Monday with Judge W. Wyatt McKay reviewing the pool of potential jurors for the corruption case.

Infante’s wife, Judith, who was facing five counts of tampering with records, pleaded no contest Thursday to one count of filing false income tax records and one count of falsifying records at her final pre-trial hearing before next week’s scheduled trial.

After accepting the no contest pleas, visiting Judge Patricia A. Cosgrove found her guilty on each of the charges.

Judith Infante could face up to a year in prison on the filing false income tax records, plus $2,500 in fines, and six months to a year in Trumbull County Jail on the falsifying records charge.

Judith Infante was mandated to file amended tax returns.

Defense attorney Louis Defabio, representing Judith Infante, did not have any comment on the no-contest plea. Sentencing is scheduled May 15.

Cosgrove is a retired Summit County judge.

At the request of defense attorney John Juhasz, Cosgrove agreed to sever the five -count indictment against the McKinley Height’s Italian American War Veterans Post No. 39 from Ralph Infante’s case, due to the Infantes’ selling the business.

They formerly operated the ITAM.

There are two counts of illegal gambling, a count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, a count of operating a gambling house and a count of possessing criminal tools in connection with the ITAM.

Because he could not come to an agreement with prosecutors, Ralph Infante’s trial is expected to take place.

After McKay establishes a pool of potential jurors, Cosgrove will individually question potential jurors to determine their knowledge of the case and Infante, and if they can give him a fair trial.

Juhasz last week filed a motion asking Cosgrove to change the trial’s venue becauseof intensive pre-trial publicity surrounding the charges filed against Infante. Juhasz argued area residents will have extensive knowledge about allegations involving his client.

The defense attorney not only gave numerous examples of stories written in local newspapers, but also comments emailed by readers to the websites of the newspapers that provided evidence of residents having made up their minds on Infante’s guilt.

Cosgrove has not ruled on the defense motion for a change in venue, but will consider the request if, through the jury selection process, the court cannot find sufficient jurors.

The couple are accused of depositing nearly $200,000 over a seven-year period and didn’t claim it as income.

Infante, 63, also is alleged to have run a gambling operation that bet on the Super Bowl, NCAA basketball and some college bowl games, and not reporting the profits he collected.

During this trial, Ralph Infante is facing 16 counts of tampering with records; two counts of gambling; two counts of operating a gambling house; seven counts of soliciting improper compensation; two counts of theft in office; eight counts of bribery; and single counts of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, possessing criminal tools, having an unlawful interest in a public contract and a misdemeanor falsification charge.

The charges deal with impropriety Infante is accused of committing during his term of office, which began in 1992 and ended Jan. 1, 2016. He was defeated in the 2015 primary election by Thomas Scarnecchia, who later was elected mayor.

In September, Juhasz filed a motion to suppress evidence and dismiss the indictment based on a Feb. 1, 2016, raid of Judy and Ralph Infante’s North Rhodes Avenue home. Juhasz in the filing claimed the raid was conducted illegally by state and local investigators because the Infantes did not own the home at the time.

However, in her ruling, Cosgrove stated records from the Trumbull County Auditor’s office show Infante owned the house until July 2016.

rsmith@tribtoday.com

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