BARRY M. JACOBSON Affidavit
The affidavit from Barry M. Jacobson, co-owner of Envirochemical Inc. and former mayor of Lyndhurst, was affixed to his guilty plea for bribery and complicity to theft in office, both third-degree felonies. Jacobson is cooperating in the probe by Trumbull County Prosecutor Dennis Watkins. [Legal terminology has been edited for easier reading.]
BRIBERY
1. Around early March 2000, Anthony R. Delmont, Trumbull County's maintenance supervisor, requested Barry M. Jacobson via telephone to write two checks to Delmont's wife, Karen A. Jacobson gave Anthony Delmont these checks to improperly influence him and with the expectation that Jacobson would continue to sell products to the county.
2. About March 16, 2000, Jacobson issued two checks to Karen Delmont. [The affidavit details the check and bank account numbers of two checks, totaling $17,000.]
3. In 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002, Anthony Delmont requested Jacobson on more than 25 occasions to purchase tickets for what was purported to be fund-raisers for candidates and officeholders. Although Jacobson gave Anthony Delmont tens of thousands of dollars in cash with the purpose of improperly influencing him, Jacobson does not know if the cash remained with Delmont or was given to the candidates and officeholders.
COMPLICITY TO THEFT IN OFFICE
4. In 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002, Jacobson did purposely aid or abet and conspire with one or more public officials of Trumbull County to engage in a scheme of theft of county money by planning and utilizing a scheme of bilking more than $5,000 from the county by over-ordering products and overcharging the county for various janitorial products and supplies.
Jacobson, through his company Envirochemical Inc., Cleveland, sold and delivered by truck to Trumbull County various janitorial products and supplies in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002. Jacobson's scheme of theft involved his knowingly selling to Trumbull County's facilities supervisor Anthony Delmont hundreds of thousands of dollars of janitorial products and supplies which were excessively overpriced and oversupplied to Trumbull County. Some products where sold more than 500 percent above the normal retail list. Jacobson hereby admits that he knowingly obtained money from Trumbull County with fraudulent intent and deception.
Although Jacobson or his agents delivered the products by truck to the Trumbull County premises, he does not know if all the products remained in the county or were used by the county.
A copy of a partial list of the products sold and delivered is an example of the price-gouging and scheme of bilking which took place involving some of the products sold to the county. Jacobson admits unlawfully taking from Trumbull County in excess of $85,000.
5. In this matter, Jacobson acted outside the scope of his employment and the authority he had from Envirochemical Inc. and its officers.