A key suspect in the theft ring that targeted art and sports memorabilia nationwide will voluntarily surrender Friday and go to prison while he awaits sentencing.
Thomas Trotta, 48, of Dunmore, must report to U.S. marshals in Scranton by 1 p.m. because he admitted to violating conditions of his release after he pleaded guilty last year, a federal court document shows.
Public federal court documents don’t explain why a prosecutor sought to imprison Trotta, but Dunmore police charged him with a Jan. 27 theft at a borough home and two related counts on April 2.
One condition of his release was that he must not violate federal, state or local law while free.
Dunmore police withdrew the charge a day later, according to a court docket. Borough Police Chief Sal Marchese could not be reached for comment Thursday about why his officer withdrew the charges.
The day the charge was withdrawn, Assistant U.S. Attorney James Buchanan asked U.S. District Judge Malachy Mannion to revoke Trotta’s release and put him in prison.
Four days after that, the television news magazine, "60 Minutes," presented a story on the ring that included lengthy interview segments with Trotta, who talked in detail about his role in the theft ring.
On April 19, Joseph F. Saporito Jr., the chief federal magistrate judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, ordered Trotta imprisoned, but agreed to let him voluntarily surrender Friday at his request.
Trotta pleaded guilty July 5, 2023, to theft of major artwork and continues to await sentencing. He pleaded guilty to stealing a painting by artist Andy Warhol titled “Le Grande Passion” from the Everhart Museum; a rare Tiffany lamp from the Lackawanna Historical Society; 10 World Series rings, seven other championship rings and two Most Valuable Player plaques belonging to Baseball Hall of Famer Yogi Berra; famous horse racing trophies, rare guns and other memorabilia.
He faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. His sentencing date has not been set.
Trotta’s sister, Dawn Trotta, also has pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.
Another suspect, Ralph Parry pleaded guilty last June and is scheduled for sentencing May 29.
Four of the other eight ring suspects – brothers Joseph and Alfred Atsus, Nicholas Dombek and Damien Boland – are scheduled to go to trial Sept. 23.
One suspect, Daryl Rinker, who also pleaded guilty last June, died last month.
The other suspect, Frank Tassiello, is scheduled for sentencing Sept. 30.
In the meantime, prosecutors did not challenge Tassiello's request to take a cruise to the Bahamas before his sentencing, according to a federal court documents. He is scheduled to fly Saturday to Jacksonville, Florida and board the cruise ship there. The ship is scheduled to stop in Nassau on Monday and Half Moon Cay on Tuesday before returning to the region next Thursday. Citing the prosecution's lack of opposition, Mannion approved the trip.
Efforts to reach U.S. Attorney Gerard Karam to determine why his office did not object to Tassiello taking the cruise were unsuccessful.
