13 charged with gambling

Thirteen people have been charged with participating in a gambling ring in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties, including a father and son who have previously been convicted of the same crime.

Robert “Bobby I” Iannelli, 88, of Wexford, and Rodney “Rusty” Iannelli, 58, of Pittsburgh, were charged with running the day-to-day operation of an illegal sports bookmaking and lottery business.

The state attorney general’s office and state police initiated an investigation in March 2015 that discovered the Iannellis operated both as bookmakers who accepted sports and lottery bets and as so-called “layoff” bankers for other bookmakers.

Both Iannellis were convicted of running an illegal gambling ring in 1991. Robert Iannelli was sentenced to eight to 23 months in the jail and fined $15,000, and his son was fined $1,000.

Others charged by a grand jury with participating in the ring include:

James Martorella, 69, of Pittsburgh; Victor Marchitello, 70, of Harrison City; Vincent Rapneth, 61, of Verona; Levi Helsel, 26, of Pittsburgh; Frank Pasquino, 74, of Irwin; Kathryn Venturini, 72, of North Huntingdon; John Harkins, 70, of Pittsburgh; Kathryn Ayers, 43, of East Pittsburgh; Harry Stetson, 71, of Sharpsburg; Arden Metcalfe, 62, of Monongahela; and Floyd Panella, 67, of Beaver.