PURCHASING SCANDAL Lid-Chem owners face new charge

The grand jury also issued two secret indictments related to the investigation.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- A special Trumbull County grand jury investigating county maintenance department purchases indicted the owners of a company that sold supplies to the county.
An indictment for grand theft was issued for Linda and Terry G. Maiorana and a similar indictment was also issued for their company, Lid-Chem Inc.
The Maioranas, of Canfield, could not be reached. Their attorney, J. Gerald Ingram, could not be reached.
According to the indictment, Lid-Chem purchased a floor scrubber from Central Service Supply for $5,000 on June 1, 2000.
"Lid-Chem Inc. invoiced the Trumbull County commissioners in the amount of $6,824 for the floor scrubber," the indictment states. "The date of the invoice had been changed to March 30, 2000, by Terry G. Maiorana."
Trumbull County paid Lid-Chem Inc. $6,824 for the floor scrubber in May 2000, the indictment states.
The indictment further states that the scrubber purchased by the county from Lid-Chem cannot be located.
The Maioranas, who are free on bond after pleading innocent in December to charges of bribery, money laundering and theft in the purchasing scandal that has been rocking the county for nearly a year, are expected to appear in court next week to face the new charge.
Secret indictments
The grand jury also issued two secret indictments related to the purchasing probe. The identity of those indicted secretly is not revealed until the person has been served with the indictment.
Court officials said one of those secretly indicted is expected to appear in court at 9 a.m. Monday and the other is expected to enter a plea at 1:30 p.m. Monday.
Prosecutors say Tony Delmont, as maintenance director, spent more on cleaning supplies than necessary in exchange for bribes from vendors.
He has pleaded guilty to bribery, money laundering and theft-in-office charges. In a hearing last year before Delmont's termination by the county, prosecutors said he had stolen about $400,000 from the county since 1998.
Delmont's allegation
In an affidavit filed with the court, Delmont said that he was ordered by county commissioners and the county sheriff to take part in the maintenance supply scheme and that he passed on much of his proceeds to higher-ups.
Commissioners and Altiere have denied those allegations.
Barry Jacobson of Envirochemical Inc. in Bedford Heights said in a sworn statement that Delmont said some of the bribes would be distributed to other county officials. No other county officials have been charged.
Jacobson pleaded guilty to bribing Delmont and helping him steal taxpayer funds.
Sentencing for both Delmont and Jacobson has been postponed until the investigation is complete.