HOLLIDAYSBURG — An East Freedom man who was part of a trio taken into custody after police allegedly found evidence of child endangerment and torture in their residence rejected a plea agreement of 10 to 25 years’ imprisonment made by the Blair County District Attorney’s Office, setting up the case for a potential jury trial.

Dominic Andrew Zungali, 32, appeared Thursday afternoon in Blair County court alongside defense attorney Mark Zearfaus for a trial list review hearing before President Judge Wade A. Kagarise.

Zungali is facing seven felony counts of aggravated assault; five felony counts each of aggravated assault – victim less than 13, endangering the welfare of children, unlawful restraint and false imprisonment; as well as five misdemeanor counts each of recklessly endangering another person and cruelty to animals.

During the hearing, Zearfaus told Kagarise that Zungali was rejecting the DA Office’s plea offer of 10 years to 25 years’ imprisonment as Zungali “feels it is not fair.” Zearfaus then requested Zungali’s case be scheduled for jury selection.

First Assistant District Attorney Nichole Smith’s issue with the request was that Zungali’s case was currently joined with that of his wife and co-defendant Zoe Zungali, 31, who faces charges identical to Dominic’s. Smith said no motion to sever the cases from each other had been filed and there was no indication if the couple intended to take separate approaches in their defense.

Chief Public Defender Julia Burke, who represents Zoe Zungali, told Kagarise that Zoe Zungali had not received a plea agreement from the DA’s Office. When Smith said she could forward the offer made to Dominic Zungali to Zoe Zungali for Burke’s perusal, Burke said she understood the offer to be for three years’ imprisonment.

Smith said the agreement was for “nowhere near” three years, reiterating the offer of 10 to 25 years. Zoe Zungali silently shook her head “no” at the potential deal.

Smith also told Kagarise that a potential jury trial would take about four or five days due to the “extensive medical testimony” needed regarding the five children involved in the case, as well as camera footage from investigating officers.

Kagarise ultimately scheduled Dominic Zungali for jury selection on April 20, with an additional trial list review hearing in front of Judge Louis C. Schmitt Jr. scheduled for April 9 to determine how the couple wanted to proceed with their joined case.

The couple’s case is also joined with that of co-defendant Gillian Bem, who faces five felony counts of endangering the welfare of children and five misdemeanor counts each of recklessly endangering another person and cruelty to animals.

The Zungalis remain incarcerated on bails of $150,000 each, while Bem remains free on 10% of $75,000 bail. Bem’s next court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 6.

The trio’s charges stem from the report of a lost child in late August 2025. That investigation led police to the Zungali home on the 200 block of Fall View Road in East Freedom.

Officers found deplorable conditions within the home, including drywall ripped from the walls, exposed electrical wiring, a strong odor of urine, a baby gate and household items barricading a doorway and several children in “cages” made from overturned cribs. The children were reportedly being held in unclean conditions, in their own waste.

The case involves the couple’s five children ranging in age from two years old to seven years old, who all displayed signs of “profound” neglect and abuse. All of the children wore diapers and were cognitively underdeveloped, according to the affidavit of probable cause.

At the time of the childrens’ discovery, it was unknown how long “these children underwent this period of torture, neglect and confinement,” the affidavit stated.

Two cats, a rabbit and a dog were also found lying in their own waste without food or water in the residence. Central Pennsylvania Humane Society Police Officer Paul Gutshall removed the animals in what he described as a serious case of animal cruelty.

Mirror Staff Writer Rachel Foor-Musselman is at 814-946-7458.