Legal troubles for family of infamous hockey dad

The story of Thomas Junta is a sad one that over the years has grown even sadder. In 2002, Junta was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the death of a Massachusetts hockey dad. Junta and the victim, Michael Costin, got into a scuffle at a rink after their sons had mixed it up on the ice. They had words. They traded blows. And when it was over, Costin was dead, probably from a blow (or multiple blows) to the vertebral artery in his neck. Junta served about eight years in prison before his release six months ago.

Now Junta's son is in trouble. This week, the Boston Globe reports that Quinlan Junta, 21, was arrested and charged after a violent home invasion. According to the Globe the younger Junta and a friend stand accused of breaking into an apartment at gunpoint and beating up a 19-year-old who lived there with his mother. Then they allegedly robbed the victims of $800.

Junta and his alleged accomplice are charged with home invasion, armed robbery, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, intimidation of a witness, and conspiracy to commit a crime.

At some point, this ceases to be a cautionary tale about youth sports mania and becomes one about a highly dysfunctional American family. I think we're there.

Thanks Marty Mazzone.

Who's watching the referees?

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette recently ran a disturbing article exposing the criminal backgrounds of "dozens of active and past" sports officials working in Western Pennsylvania. The crimes committed by these officials, who work school games, are the kind that land you in the state pen: gun crimes, drug offenses, assaults, animal abuse, fraud, various forms of theft, drunken driving and auto accidents resulting in deaths.

And sex crimes. One offender cited in the article was charged with distributing computer images of young boys engaging in sex in October 2005. Days later, he was the referee at an eighth-grade football game.

This is unsettling stuff for parents, coaches, and the upright officials tarred by those who are not. Little League Baseball bills itself as the only national youth baseball organization that demands background checks on all volunteers. This story makes a strong case for others to follow that lead.

Stellar work by PG reporter Bill Moushey.