Former Old Forge Council President Semenza pleads guilty to taking bribes

Jun. 15—SCRANTON — In a subdued voice, former Old Forge Council President Robert Semenza on Tuesday told a federal judge he took bribes to help a business owner being sued by the borough.

Dressed in a dark suit and a blue face mask, the 47-year-old replied "guilty" when asked directly by U.S. District Judge Malachy E. Mannion how he pleaded to a felony charge of bribery. Nearly a decade after he was appointed to council to replace his father, who died in office, Semenza's time as a public official brought him to Courtroom 3 in the William J. Nealon Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse for pocketing between $6,500 and $15,000.

"When he took the position in council in 2012, he took it very seriously and it was a heavy responsibility," said Semenza's attorney, Jason Mattioli, adding that "there are some things that happened" which "led him down this path."

Mattioli declined to elaborate Tuesday, saying it would be inappropriate to do so before Semenza is sentenced. Asked if it was related to any medical issues, he said, "not medical, but I will get into it fully. And I'll be able to comment in full after his sentence."

Semenza did not speak as he exited the courthouse. Attempts to reach him later were unsuccessful.

Federal prosecutors last week charged Semenza with soliciting, demanding and accepting cash in exchange for performing and promising official acts between January 2019 and February 2020. He resigned from council in May as part of the plea agreement. He faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, $250,000 in fines and three years of supervised release.

A criminal information filed against Semenza alleged he accepted bribes related to a unnamed business owner sued by the borough over a dispute about local zoning ordinances. In announcing the charge last week, acting U.S. Attorney Bruce D. Brandler said in a statement Semenza accepted money in exchange for agreeing to vote on the business owner's behalf and to advocate for the business owner's interest before council.

Semenza couched the payments as "loans," according to charging documents, but Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo said in court they really were just "cash bribes."

Federal prosecutors did not identify the business or its owner in court Tuesday or in charging documents; Mattioli also declined to identify either. However, county court records coinciding with information in the federal paperwork indicate it is Walter Stocki Jr., owner of Scrap Enterprises, Rear 105 N. Keyser Ave.

Around the end of July 2018, according to the criminal information, council obtained an injunction from the Lackawanna County Court of Common Pleas against a business and its owner which required it cease all activity violating the borough's zoning ordinances. The court found on or about May 9, 2019, the business owner was in violation of the July 31, 2018, injunction and ordered the owner pay a bond in excess of $5,000, according to the charging paperwork. On or about Aug. 5, 2019, council petitioned the court to hold the business owner in contempt, it stated.

On July 31, 2018, Lackawanna County Judge Thomas J. Munley ordered that Stocki cease all activity on his property. On May 9, 2019, Munley gave Stocki 100 days to cease business, clean up his property and post a $20,000 bond. The borough soon after petitioned the court to hold Stocki in contempt.

Reached Tuesday, Stocki declined to comment on the Semenza case.

Semenza took money along with an unindicted co-conspirator — referred to only as Individual No. 3 — who owned and operated a consulting business in Old Forge. Individual No. 3 received thousands in dollars in payments as well and remitted a portion of it to Semenza, Caraballo said in court.

Semenza will remain free pending his sentencing, which has not been set.

Contact the writer: jkohut@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100, x5187; @jkohutTT on Twitter.