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Akron defense attorney Pignatelli, who faced criminal indictment, helps bust two Northeast Ohio kingpins
By Phil Trexler
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Tuesday, Sep 16, 2008
An Akron defense lawyer facing his own criminal indictment turned federal informant three years ago, helping bring down two of Northeast Ohio's biggest drug kings.
With tips from attorney Frank Pignatelli and secretly taped meetings he orchestrated with drug dealers, federal agents were able to arrest 30 people, seize hundreds of pounds of marijuana and cocaine and about $3 million in cash.
The drug cases, including one heard on Monday, are winding down in U.S. District District Court in Akron and Cleveland.
The convictions could not have happened without the Akron lawyer's help, authorities and attorneys said.
''The common denominator was Pignatelli,'' said assistant U.S. attorney Robert Bulford.
Pignatelli, 45, has not been charged with any crime. He has been offered consideration of a lesser sentence, if he is charged.
In court, prosecutors said Pignatelli helped his former clients purchase ''stash houses'' to store drugs and money.
On Monday, Pignatelli was poised to testify in a hearing involving Chevaliee ''Chevy'' Robinson, 30, a Tallmadge man who was charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana and money laundering.
Court papers show that federal authorities searched a home Robinson owned on Jean Avenue in Akron in March 2006.
Scattered about the house was more than $2.8 million in cash, a sum that weighed more than 300 pounds. They also recovered about 1,000 pounds of marijuana.
Robinson and his attorney, James Campbell, were attempting to have evidence Pignatelli helped accumulate tossed out of court on Monday. They cited a violation of attorney-client privilege as grounds.
Campbell said federal authorities were not aware of Robinson until Pignatelli, who had been his lawyer since 1998,
talked.
Robinson wanted to see Pignatelli testify, Campbell said.
''He wanted to have the person who ratted him out tell him why he did it,'' Campbell said after the hearing. ''He wanted to see him face to face, make him testify to why he did what he did, why he breached the confidence of attorney-client privilege.''
Pignatelli's attorney, Lawrence Vuillemin, said it would be ''inappropriate'' to comment on the cases.
''But I would hope people would withhold judgment on Frank until all the pending matters are resolved,'' he said.
Pignatelli was a familiar face in Summit County legal circles until December 2005, when his home was searched and he began cooperating with federal investigators.
His law license remains active, but he is not currently practicing. He has moved out of Ohio.
Pignatelli, referred to in court papers as ''Confidential Source 2,'' told FBI agents that Robinson was ''the largest distributor of cocaine and marijuana in the Akron-Canton area'' and had trafficking sites from New York City to Atlanta.
Pignatelli also said Robinson laundered his drug money through a construction company he owned and that the drugs were packaged in 18-wheel trucks, driven from Arizona to Akron by Mexican nationals.
In one such trip, two of Robinson's associates were stopped by police in Oklahoma with $1.6 million in cash.
Facing a possible life sentence, Robinson on Monday opted to accept a plea offer that is expected to bring him a 20-year prison term. He is to be sentenced on Nov. 24 by Judge Sara Lioi.
Campbell said that Robinson got his chance to see and speak with Pignatelli. The private meeting was arranged in the federal courthouse after Robinson pleaded guilty Monday.
''It was his closure,'' he said.
Bulford contested the attorney-client motions, claiming in court papers that Pignatelli and Robinson were partners.
Ten others indicted with Robinson have already pleaded guilty. Two remaining defendants are expected to accept plea deals next week.
In Cleveland, 17 defendants, including kingpin Kevin Terrell Tyler, were charged in an equally broad drug operation that federal prosecutors say was brought down with help from Pignatelli.
As in the Robinson case, prosecutors say the Tyler case involved the transportation of cocaine, marijuana and cash between Northeast Ohio and the southwest United States. Like Robinson, Tyler also pleaded guilty.
''There was no traditional attorney-client relationship,'' Bulford wrote in court papers. ''This was co-conspirator to co-conspirator. But for the fact that . . . Pignatelli was cooperating with the government, he was a co-conspirator with these defendants.''
Phil Trexler can be reached at 330-996-3717 or ptrexler@thebeaconjournal.com.
An Akron defense lawyer facing his own criminal indictment turned federal informant three years ago, helping bring down two of Northeast Ohio's biggest drug kings.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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Posted 10:16 AM, 09/16/2008
That is a TOTAL violation of attorney-client privilege.
Akron, oh
Posted 11:26 AM, 09/16/2008
Some would say that Frank wasn't an attorney at all. Juat another one of the boys. Laundering money, using and selling drugs etc. Frank is definately a scumbag, but it is certainly not new for attorneys to aide and abet their scumbag clients.
Posted 04:08 PM, 09/16/2008
Send Frank to jail he is just as much a criminal as the guys he turned in for his time.
Green, OH
Posted 05:09 PM, 09/16/2008
Robinson wanted to see Pignatelli face-to-face and ask him why he ratted Robinson out, why he violated attorney-client privilege. Oh, puh-leese! Robinson is questioning the ethics of a lawyer who helped him buy safe houses, stash cash and launder money??? Too funny!!
Cleveland, OH
Posted 07:45 PM, 09/16/2008
hmmmm... i remember when these two stories broke and all the nay sayers were convinced the cops were corrupt and tyler, robinson and crews were innocent guys being taken down by 'the man'. hmmmm... says here they plead guilty? no trial, just a plea. hmmmm... that means they admit their guilt, no? great job by the investigators. clean up our neighborhoods. whiskey for my men and a beer for my horses...on me! every else can eat crow.
Cleveland, OH
Posted 07:51 PM, 09/16/2008
"Robinson wanted to see Pignatelli testify, Campbell said. 'He wanted to have the person who ratted him out tell him why he did it', Campbell said after the hearing. 'He wanted to see him face to face, make him testify to why he did what he did, why he breached the confidence of attorney-client privilege.'" makes me gag the way society is today. this is an attorney saying this... 'Rat this, Snitch that'... Frank did the right thing, he's still a scumbag for what he did in the first place, but at least he tried to help clean up the mess.
Posted 08:23 PM, 09/16/2008
Technically, from the facts presented here, there was no atty-client violation. To begin, it must be one acting in his attorney role for the privilege to apply. If Pignatelli was acting as a partner, the privilege doesnt apply. Secondly, the privilege does not apply when a client discusses future crime or fraud. As for the "scumbag" comments; please. The few attorneys who get involved with their clients illegal schemes are few and far between. Just as with every profession, there are some who fail to follow the profesional code of conduct and engage in less then exemplary behavior. But to insinuate that this sort of behavior occurs routinely in the legal profession is ignorant at best, a complete lie at worst.
Posted 09:24 PM, 09/16/2008
Daniel says-I don't mind seeing a lawyer being a snitch. They are garbage anyway. Most of them not all, but what I hate is when these cops try to get these young guys that really have no idea what's going on except when they watch cops on television try to get them to work for them when they are jeopardizing their families and their selves. Then these kids think that they can do whatever they want to do and just tell on someone else to get out of trouble. That teaches them absolutely nothing except how to be a snitch bag. I know of a Tallmadge cop right now that is trying to get an 18 year old kid to be a confidential informant because he can't do his own job. The kid has no idea what he's getting into. If you can't do the time don't do the crime and definitely don't be a snitch.
Posted 10:30 AM, 09/17/2008
frank is a loser period, but if you think that frank,tyler,and robinson was the only ones making money off of drugs you are naive.frank had alot of influence downtown. you have to follow the money. i know the judges and prosecutors got there pockets greesed with loot from frank. its called campaign contributions.the real criminals havent got caught yet downtown. sherry bell what ever name is,is a criminal regime scandal after scandal and thats only what the public hears about. to all his clients who are in jail it would be an instant appeal or a civil lawsuit. frank probaly sold them clients out to help out tlyer and robinson regime.
Posted 10:46 AM, 09/17/2008
An anology here is Akron Police attacked Highland Square in the Mayor Sawyer Era with White/Italian Burgluries and Assaults.The County attacked the Square at the Library with an ethnic group that shouldn't be mentioned. As the centrifuge throws Akron out of all hope this "listless" Communist Katholik lawyer can't take his medicine without trashing the trade. Chain of Fools is what you call this infamous kirche that wants its cake and eat it ,too! I was just glad that North Hill got raped by their own when Akron Police no longer had anymore work for them at Highland Sq. Sincerely, Paul D.Brown P.S. With everything outside Akron City Limits your Pigs need Annexation for further Kirche and Enthnic torment ,King Don !!!!!
Posted 01:22 PM, 09/24/2008
i want to know why Akron has not shut down those fake slot places here in Akron yet especially the illegal one on main street cause they draw the wrong attention to thieves and drug users!
Posted 04:00 PM, 09/24/2008
SOMEONE POSTED A COMMENT AT 4:51 AND SAID FRANK TRIED TO HELP CLEAN UP THE MESS...NOT AT ALL WHAT HAPPENED HE JUST WANTED A LESSER PUNISHMENT FOR HIMSELF...AND REGARDLESS TO WHAT ROBINSON WAS DOING IF FRANK WAS HIS ATTORNEY THEN IT SHOULD NOT BE USED IN COURT. JUST AS IF THE DOCTOR KNEW A PT HAD AIDS AND WAS STEALING PAIN MEDS AND THE DOCTOR HELPED THE PT STEAL THE PAIN MEDS IT WOULD BE AGAINST HIPAA REGULATIONS FOR THE DR TO TELL ANYONE WHAT DISEASE THE PT HAD UNLESS THE PT AGREED TO IT. I'M NOT SAYING THAT IT'S O.K. TO DEAL DRUGS I'M JUST SAYING IF YOU WANT JUSTICE THEN GET JUSTICE LEGALLY.
