Former South San Francisco firefighter won't gamble on betting trial

A former South San Francisco battalion chief who enlisted other firefighters in an illegal gambling ring partially operated out of a firehouse pleaded no contest to misdemeanor sports betting.

James Anthony Selvitella Jr., 52, opted for the deal in return for 18 months court probation, 30 hours of community service and a year of weekly Gamblers Anonymous meetings. He must also avoid gambling and gambling establishments.

William James Kirkpatrick, 63, and Louise Kristovich, 71, also pleaded no contest to the same charge for the same sentence short of the meetings.

Christopher Mesa, 63, pleaded no contest to felony sports gambling in return for three months jail and three years of probation.

A fifth man, Michael Joseph Cooper, 50, did not settle his case and returns to court Dec. 7.

Selvitella was with the South San Francisco Fire Department for more than two decades but was fired two years ago. In return, Selvitella sued the city, department, assistant city manager and personnel board.

Kirkpatrick was a San Francisco Fire Department engineer.

According to prosecutors, Selvitella and the others had been operating since 2006 but were part of a larger betting outfit. Selvitella took bets from fellow firefighters and other gamblers using his work phone to access a 1-800 number established for the job. He is also alleged to have used city computers in the operation which involved hundreds of thousands of dollars every day.

All the defendants took money back and forth, acting as "bagmen,” according to the District Attorney’s Office.

The alleged ring was uncovered after another firefighter reported losing tens of thousands of dollars. South San Francisco police and state justice officials launched an investigation and later reported finding $470,000 in daily betting records in a San Francisco residence tied to Mesa.