Massachusetts Lawmaker and Flooring Contractor Ind
Springfield, MA, July 13--A two-term state representative, his wife, parents, three brothers,and a sister were charged yesterday in a sweeping federal racketeering indictment with bilking the Springfield Housing Authority out of more than $1 million to remodel their homes, fix their cars, and fund the legislator's campaign.
The indictment also charges with racketeering and bribery a number of contractors including John Spano, 48, the owner of West Springfield-based flooring contractor Valley Floor Covering.
Christopher P. Asselin, a Springfield Democrat running for reelection this fall, is accused of using federal money earmarked for public housing and taking kickbacks extorted from contractors to furnish his office, cater fund-raisers, install an in-ground swimming pool at his residence, and pay for other home improvements.
His father, Raymond Asselin Sr., who served as the Housing Authority's executive director for 33 years before resigning last year, is accused of running the agency for decades in a manner that benefited his entire family.
"The exploitation of the Springfield Housing Authority for personal gain by those in positions of responsibility and power, as alleged in the indictment, is an unconscionable breach of the public trust," said US Attorney Michael J. Sullivan. "What was quite troubling was the length, depth, and breadth of this behavior."
Money that was supposed to go toward housing for some of the city's poorest residents was allegedly spent by Asselin and his children on fancy chandeliers, ceramic tile, red oak flooring, carpets, windows, appliances, and other items for their homes in western Massachusetts and their Cape Cod vacation home, according to the 100-count indictment.
In a statement released last night, Asselin said, "I did nothing to betray the trust my constituents placed in me and hope to convince them of that in September and November."
Asselin, 35, lost his first bid for the Legislature in 1998. He won in 2000 and was reelected in 2002.
The indictment charges Asselin with conspiracy, bribery, accepting illegal gratuities, extortion, government theft, and mail fraud.
"I benefited from my family's good name in the past and will not run away from it today or during the campaign," he said in his statement, which was released by his lawyer, Thomas R. Kiley. "I am confident that when the evidence is heard in a court of law, I will be acquitted."
Asselin was arrested yesterday at his father's Chatham vacation home. His wife, Merylina, who was with him, was allowed to drive their children to a friend's house before surrendering to authorities later in the morning.
The indictment alleges that in addition to stealing money from the housing agency, Raymond Asselin and Arthur Sotirion, who oversaw procurement and maintenance for the agency until he resigned last year, demanded kickbacks and bribes from contractors and subcontractors who did business with the authority.
Those bribes allegedly included a BMW car for Raymond Asselin's wife, Janet; a $52,500 down payment on a house in Amherst for his son and daughter-in-law, Joseph and Melinda Asselin; and a new Plymouth Voyager van. The Asselin family got a 23-foot Chaparral boat, according to the indictment. The Asselins also billed the federal government for more than $1,000 in paper goods for the family's get-togethers at their Chatham home, the indictment said.
Charged with bribery and a variety of other offenses were Janet Asselin; Raymond Asselin's three other sons, James, 44, of Springfield, Raymond Jr., 42, of Springfield, and Joseph, 40, of Amherst; his daughter, Maria Asselin Serrazina, 39, of Ludlow; Joseph Asselin's wife, Melinda, 41; and Merylina Asselin, 33.
