Drug trafficking linked to Gettysburg bar shocks employees and patrons

GETTYSBURG, Pa. (WHP) — According to Adams County law enforcement, a manager at a popular bar and restaurant was leading a double life and serving drugs as a side dish.

The suspect, Cristina Fazzolari, 38, worked at Mamma Ventura in Gettysburg and is the owner's daughter.

A bar manager at the restaurant claims she, like many others, had no idea any of this was happening there.

“I mean, it’s just crazy, you know? Because this is one of the few bars that we as students can visit here. It's just crazy to know that something like this happens somewhere we have fun,” said Antoni Esquivias, a regular Mamma Ventura customer.

The news that a manager of a bar in the district that is popular with students and guests is accused of drug trafficking surprised some of his guests.

READ MORE |The manager of the Gettysburg restaurant and partners are said to have sold cocaine behind the store

“It just looks like a normal restaurant, you know? There's good food, good music downstairs and good drink prices. So I just thought it was a normal place,” Esquivias said.

According to charging documents, in April an officer saw Cristina Fazzolari selling cocaine in the alley behind Mamma Ventura Restaurant and Bar.

They had received a tip that employees at the restaurant were selling drugs.

However, an employee said he wanted to make this clear: No one, including the suspect's mother and owner of Mamma Ventura, had ever seen or heard of any of these drug deals – and certainly not near the bar.

“I mean, it's sad to hear that the mother had no idea. It must be breaking her heart, you know? This has to break her heart,” Esquivias said.

Police said Fazzolari's husband, John Anderson, 46, faces similar charges and admitted tricking his wife into helping him sell the cocaine.

Fazzolari is also charged with child endangerment after police said she sold cocaine with her son in the car.

The documents also said more drugs were found in her home.