The LaGrotta's / by Justin Merriman


Francis and Loretta LaGrotta, the parents of former state Rep. Frank LaGrotta, are crushed and say the accusations against their son, daughter and granddaughter are false. Frank LaGrotta was charged today with two felony counts for hiring his sister and niece as legislative assistants in 2006 and paying them thousands of dollars in public money for work they never performed. LaGrotta, 49, his sister Ann Bartolomeo, 46, and her daughter, Alissa Lemmon, 24, all of Ellwood City, were charged on the recommendation of an investigative grand jury, Attorney General Tom Corbett said. LaGrotta, who served 10 terms in the House, is charged with two felony counts of conflict of interest. Bartolomeo and Lemmon each face counts of false swearing for allegedly lying to the grand jury.