Mamma Ventura Restaurant and Lounge, located on Chambersburg Street, as pictured on October 2, 2024. Co-owner of the establishment Cristina Fazzolari has been arrested on charges related to the sale of cocaine, fentanyl and marijuana. (Vincent DiFonzo/The Gettysburgian)
By Vincent DiFonzo, Editor-in-Chief
A co-owner of Mamma Ventura Restaurant and Lounge, located on Chambersburg Street, has been charged for felonies related to possession and distribution of cocaine, fentanyl and marijuana.
Co-owner Cristina Fazzolari and her romantic partner John Anderson were charged by the Adams County Drug Task Force on Monday in connection to the distribution of drugs, including in the alley behind the restaurant, the Evening Sun reported.
In April, after receiving information that employees of Mamma’s may be involved in the sale of illegal substances, police observed Fazzolari sell cocaine right behind the restaurant in Race Horse Alley.
In June, police obtained a search warrant for the pair’s house in Orrtanna. They found 32 plastic bags packaged with marijuana and 16 green tablets that later tested positive for fentanyl. Their search also found numerous firearms in the house.
The affidavit shows that during a police interview, Anderson said he sold cocaine “to pay for domestic relations,” and that Fazzolari sold cocaine with him to “help him out.”
The couple are charged with felony counts of delivery of cocaine, possession of fentanyl with intent to deliver, possession of marijuana with intent to deliver and criminal use of a cell phone. Additionally, they are charged with a misdemeanor: endangering the welfare of a child. This charge stems from police observation of the couple’s child in their car during a drug deal in June.
Fazzolari is not currently being held in jail while Anderson remains jailed at Adams County Prison amid failure to post $50,000 bail.
Anderson is additionally charged with prohibited possession of a firearm and possession of drug paraphernalia. The Unified Pennsylvania Judicial System’s website reveals that Anderson holds an extensive criminal background.
Fazzolari and Anderson will both appear before Magisterial District Judge Matthew Harvey for preliminary hearings on Oct. 9.
Mamma’s has been a popular restaurant in Gettysburg in the decades since its initial founding in 1977 by Fazzolari’s father. The establishment includes its ground floor restaurant and basement bar, a popular downtown spot for Gettysburg College students.
The restaurant is co-owned by Fazzolari and her mother, Jackie. Mamma’s remains open as of Oct. 2.
Mugshot of John Anderson. (Photo via Adams County Prison)
A sign to the establishment’s basement lounge and bar, pictured on October 2, 2024. Co-owner of the establishment Cristina Fazzolari has been arrested on charges related to the sale of cocaine, fentanyl and marijuana. (Vincent DiFonzo/The Gettysburgian)
Race Horse Alley, where the entrance to Mama Ventura’s bar and lounge is located. Police say they observed the sale of cocaine by the co-owner of the restaurant in the alley. (Vincent DiFonzo/The Gettysburgian)
