Alleged football recruiting probed (player moved into public housing)

Times Leader (Wilkes-Barre PA) ^ | 8/29/2003 | Bonnie Adams

[Born Conservative]

Ex-Housing Authority boss says report he pulled strings to get a tenant's nephews on the Patriots is just a rumor. Former Pittston Housing Authority Board Chairman Albert "Butch" Serino was investigated for allegations that he helped a tenant get nephews on a lease so they could play football for Pittston Area High School, according to Housing Authority documents.

In addition, Serino must reimburse the authority $1,100 for cell phone expenses he incurred with an authority phone.

The tenant mentioned in the U.S. Inspector General investigation is Tom Smith, whose son, Peter, transferred from Rochester, N.Y., to Pittston Area in 2001 and joined the football team. The teen's transfer started a swell of rumors about alleged football recruiting by the school.

"They came and they investigated on a rumor and they had no findings," said Serino while watching football practice from the press box. "That was ridiculous to begin with."

Serino resigned in 2001 as a volunteer assistant Pittston Area football coach. He said at that time that he had heard rumors that he helped recruit players, but he denied them.

He also resigned last year as Pittston Housing Authority chairman. Pittston City Council members filled his authority seat this July after he completed his term.

An investigation of Serino by the U.S. Inspector General's office is mentioned in a December 2002 letter to the authority from the Philadelphia regional office of the U.S. Housing and Urban Development.

Director of Public Housing Malinda Roberts wrote that the investigation was in response to a complaint alleging Serino assisted Housing Authority resident Tom Smith in getting his nephews added to Smith's lease "so that they could play football on the local high school football team."

Authority Solicitor Michael Butera said he does not believe anything came of the inspector general's investigation and that no action was taken against Serino or Smith.

HUD spokesman John Carpenter said Thursday that the department had received a hot line complaint about Smith having additional people living in his apartment. Carpenter said the matter was referred to the Pittston Housing Authority, which revised Smith's lease and the additional tenants left the residence.

Serino's cousin, Pittston Area Superintendent Frank Serino, said Albert Serino attends many football practices but does not work for the School District in an official capacity.

Frank Serino said, as he has before, that school officials do not recruit football players from outside the School District. He said he is not aware of other teens from Rochester, besides Peter Smith, who play on the team.

At Pittston football practice Thursday evening, Tom Smith said there's no truth to the allegations regarding his nephews from Rochester.

He said he brought his two nephews here to get them out of bad situations and give them a better life. But it didn't work out and have since left the area.

"He didn't do anything wrong," Smith said, while motioning to Serino.

Roberts also wrote in December that the complaint alleged Albert Serino had a Housing Authority-issued cell phone and some of the expenses were non-authority related.

Serino said he was issued a cell phone to use and there was no policy limiting how he could use it. "I was never told how I could use it."

Roberts' letter said the phone company said Serino had incurred $1,100 in overcharges in a 15-month period. Those charges were identified as roaming, long distance and additional minutes beyond what were authorized, Roberts said.

Roberts wrote to the Authority again in February saying Serino had refused to pay the Authority for the cell phone expenses because he did not believe he owed the money. Carpenter said HUD is awaiting word on the status of the cell phone reimbursement.

Butera said he has a written agreement with Serino regarding repayment of the cell phone expenses. The solicitor said that agreement contains no admission of wrongdoing. "From day one, he insisted he did nothing wrong," Butera said.

Serino has agreed to pay the authority $50 a month for 22 months as of this past July.

Serino continued to serve on the authority board after he resigned as chairman last year. Pittston City Council named Tony Guariglia to a five-year term on the Authority in July after Serino completed his term.

"I'm very satisfied with the Inspector General's report. They did the investigation. They found the truth," Authority Board Chairman Joseph Tavaglione said.

[Born Conservative]

Wyoming Valley (Pennsylvania)-where kids can major in high school football and nepotism is what keeps the area running.