A man who was a key witness against reputed mobster William �??Billy�?� D�??Elia reportedly committed suicide on Wednesday, one day after he was arrested for failing appear for a hearing on federal charges in South Carolina.
Frank Pavlico III of Clarks Green reportedly hanged himself, according to a handwritten notation on an arrest warrant issued by federal probation officials in Greensville, S.C.
Pavlico, who pleaded guilty in 2008 to helping D�??Elia conceal the source of drug money, was facing charges in South Carolina in connection with an investment fraud scheme.
An arrest warrant was issued after Pavlico failed to appear at bail revocation a hearing Tuesday in South Carolina.
Pavlico was arrested in Pennsylvania on Tuesday. He appeared before a district magistrate judge in Scranton and was released on the condition he report to South Carolina on Wednesday. He was found dead that day, according to the notation on the warrant.
The U.S. Attorney�??s office in South Carolina filed a motion to dismiss the case, noting the defendant is deceased.
In the Pennsylvania case, Pavlico was sentenced in January 2008 to 10 months in federal prison for his role in an elaborate money laundering scheme involving D�??Elia and local coal company heir Louis Pagnotti III.
Prosecutors said Pavlico helped funnel hundreds of thousands of dollars in drug money through Pagnotti�??s coal company and other businesses in order to make it appear as though it had been legitimately earned.
D�??Elia was sentenced in November 2008 to nine years in prison for his role in the scheme and charges related to his attempt to hire a person to kill Pavlico. He is scheduled to complete his sentence on Feb. 2.