Pubdate: Sat, 27 Oct 2001
Source: Post-Standard, The (NY)
Copyright: 2001, Syracuse Post-Standard
Contact:  http://www.syracuse.com/syrnewspapers/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/686
Author: John O'Brien
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/corrupt.htm (Corruption)

DEA SAYS POLITICIAN HELPED SELL DRUGS

Anti-drug Councilor In Rome Charged. Lawyer: He Was In Wrong Place At Wrong 
Time.

A Rome city councilman who has campaigned against drug abuse was charged 
Thursday with conspiring to sell cocaine.

John K. Ciccotti, 40, was accused of scheming with Mark A. Capponi to sell 
1.12 ounces to an undercover police informant for $1,800 in July at an 
undisclosed location in Rome.

Ciccotti, a Republican who has been a councilman for 10 years, is up for 
re-election Nov. 6. His opponent, Democratic Oneida County corrections 
officer Brett Johnson, said he would not comment on Ciccotti's charges.

Capponi, 40, of 114 McAvoy Ave., Rome, was also charged with conspiring to 
sell cocaine.

The police informant called Ciccotti July 26 asking to buy 3 ounces of 
cocaine, according to an affidavit from Ronald Dadabo, a special agent with 
the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Ciccotti said he'd call Capponi 
or another source to see if he could get that much cocaine, the affidavit said.

Ciccotti called the informant back and told him to call Capponi's cell 
phone, the affidavit said. The three arranged a meeting, where the 
informant paid Capponi an undisclosed amount and Capponi handed him two 
small plastic bags of cocaine, the affidavit said.

Ciccotti and Capponi used some of the cocaine and left the rest for the 
informant, the affidavit said. After Ciccotti and Capponi left, FBI agents 
seized the cocaine and tested it, the affidavit said.

Ciccotti, of 132 2nd St., Rome, was released on his own recognizance Friday 
after appearing before U.S. Magistrate Gary Sharpe. Ciccotti's lawyer 
denied the charges.

"He was in the wrong place at the wrong time," defense lawyer Frank Mellace 
II said. "He was associating with people he shouldn't have been associating 
with. He was not selling drugs, he was not buying drugs, he was not using 
drugs. One drug dealer mentioned his name. As a result, he got associated 
unjustifiably."

Mellace said Ciccotti has often tipped off police and prosecutors about 
drug dealers in the ward that he represents.

"He's vehemently opposed to drug abuse," Mellace said. "Unfortunately, his 
personal as well as his professional lives are being affected negatively 
based on a charge as opposed to a conviction."
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