SCRANTON, Pa. — The federal bribery case against a man from Old Forge is now in the hands of a jury.
Prosecutors say James Peperno was the middle man in a scheme that also involved a businessman and the former president of borough council.
Peperno's trial has been going on for eight days. Closing arguments ended Thursday afternoon.
Peperno faces federal charges of bribery, conspiracy, and other fraud charges.
This isn't the first time he's been accused of these actions.
The prosecution says back in January 2019, Peperno approached Walter Stocki to help solve Stocki's legal problems with Old Forge borough regarding a scrap yard that Stocki owns. Prosecutors say that's when Peperno worked out a bribe between Stocki and Bob Semenza, who was president of borough council at the time.
Semenza pleaded guilty to federal charges last year.
Over the past few days, the jury heard recordings made by Stocki and saw text messages between Peperno and Semenza.
During closing arguments, prosecutors said the texts between Peperno and Semenza on November 1, 2019, prove it was a written offer of a bribe and "he was in control of the scheme. The puppet master that put this whole thing together and got the most out of it."
The defense said Stocki tried to save his own reputation by taking this info and first recording about Peperno and Semenza to the FBI. Stocki told the FBI he bribed Semenza with thousands of dollars.
"Stocki is the puppet master. Not Peperno. Mr. Stocki is the big winner in this case," the defense said.
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