TRUMBULL COUNTY Sheriff faults lax probe in hiring of deputy

By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- A former Trumbull County corrections officer facing charges of bribery and complicity to escape would not have been hired if the sheriff's department had done a complete background investigation, the sheriff said.
Michelle Miller, who quit the sheriff's department two weeks ago, is free on $50,000 bond. She has pleaded innocent to the charges and is to return to court Monday.
Sheriff Thomas Altiere said that when Miller was hired in 1996, the department did not do as complete a background check as it does now.
According to her personnel file, a form filled out by Miller's former employer, Lorain Correctional Institution, officials there would not recommend the county hire her and they would not hire her again.
"I found out about that letter after she was already hired," Altiere said Monday. "When I found out, it was too late to do anything, so I figured we would give her a second chance. This will not happen again. We do very, very complete checks now."
The form, which was signed by Mindy WIlliams, personnel officer at LCI, does not state why the state prison would not recommend Miller for employment, and officials there could not be reached.
"I still, to this day, do not know what she did at LCI," Altiere said.
The form does say Miller was disciplined verbally and in writing for absenteeism and failure to report rules violations. Miller received three written and two verbal reprimands, the form states.
What's in file
Miller began working at the Trumbull County jail in 1996. Employee evaluations in her file here show her work to be average to above average, but she received several verbal warnings for being absent.
She also received a letter dated April 25, 2001, stating that she owed money to Penn-Ohio Uniforms. The letter states that since the county paid her a uniform allowance, she either had to pay the company or return the money to the county.
There are also several letters praising her work efforts.
Officials say Miller may have been bribed by a federal inmate in the Trumbull County jail who wanted to escape. No other details have been provided. The sheriff's department houses federal inmates on the fourth floor of the jail.
The sheriff said the investigation was handled by the FBI. John Kane, agent in charge of the Youngstown FBI office, said the agency is assisting the county prosecutor's office.
Miller is the third former deputy to be indicted this year. Two others, Michael Battee and John Clutter, were indicted earlier on sexual battery charges.
Both have pleaded innocent. Their cases are pending.
Officials said female inmates accused the jailers of committing sex acts with them.
sinkovich@vindy.com