BY CHRISTINE CHARNOSKY
Correspondent
WESTFIELD – Sergio Miacola received 18 months probation for two scams involving nearly $15,000 that include writing bad checks and taking money from perspective tenants in a rental scheme.
On May 18, Miacola, 57, of 9 West School St., was sentenced to 18 months probation for cashing six false checks at St. James Check Cashing, according to court documents. The police report shows that checks were cashed daily on May 9, 2014 through May 14, 2014 ranging from $250 to $775.
Miacola wrote the checks from a Berkshire Bank account, which had been closed in 2012, according to City Hall records. He was ordered to pay $5,522, including $3,482 in restitution, by Nov. 18, 2017.
On May 20, Miacola received concurrent probation after four counts of larceny over $250 case were continued without finding. Restitution is to be determined.
Miacola was arrested on July 3, 2014, after collecting cash payments for rent and security deposits totaling nearly $10,000 for rental property at 9 West School St., which he never intended to rent.
Miacola had placed an ad on Craigslist to rent the second floor apt. at 9 W. School St. for $850 per month.
On Friday, Jose Contreras said he and his wife have lived in the second floor apartment at 9 W. School St. for nearly a year paying $925 per month for rent. He said he has little contact with Miacola.
The first victim alerted Westfield Police of the scam in June of 2014 complaining that she had given Miacola money for an apartment that he failed to lease to her and then refused to return her money.
Three other victims came forward, one after seeing a post on the Westfield Police Department’s Facebook page, bringing the total scam to $9,290, according to City Hall records.
The Westfield Detective Bureau’s Facebook July 3, 2014, post read in part: “The Westfield Police are investigating a scam in which ads were posted on Craigslist and at least one other real estate site advertising an apartment for rent at 9 West School Street. The landlord took deposits and first and last months rent from multiple people for the same apartment, then gave excuses as to why they could not move in when the time arrived.”
Allegedly, each time Miacola received cash, he lost the money gambling at Foxwoods Resort Casino. His probation includes attending Gamblers Anonymous meetings.
When Miacola was arrested on July 3, 2014, he was found holding a large kitchen butcher knife pressed up against his chest, according to the police report. He told the officers “he has done some very wrong things,” the police report states. Additionally, a two-page suicide note was found on a table.
On Friday, a resident of 7 West School St., who preferred not to give her name, said there were “700 police cars here” when Miacola was arrested. She said the neighbors weren’t quite sure what was happening.
Robert Butler of Springfield is listed as Miacola’s attorney.
