Portage County prosecutor to oversee purchasing probe

The special prosecutor says he has started working on the case.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- The Portage County prosecutor has been appointed the special prosecutor to oversee Trumbull County's ongoing purchasing probe.
During a press conference Monday, Trumbull County Prosecutor Dennis Watkins said he asked the court to appoint Victor V. Vigluicci as special prosecutor so that an independent prosecutor can determine whether any Trumbull officials had any "criminal responsibility."
"At this time, with the evidence now known to this prosecutor, it is incumbent upon this office to step aside from any role in evaluating and deciding whether any further prosecutions of public officials, elected or nonelected, or others are merited," Watkins said. "To continue to investigate elected officials would constitute a conflict of interest, and in my opinion, under the circumstances would not be in the public interest."
Watkins to declined to elaborate on the evidence.
Vigluicci, who also declined to discuss specifics, said he has begun working on the probe but does not know how long it will take.
'A mammoth investigation'
"This is a mammoth investigation," Watkins said. "We have sent out over 500 subpoenas. Since this began in August 2002, three people have pled guilty and there are four others under indictment. We found that at least $400,000 was stolen from Trumbull County taxpayers through schemes of fraud and price gouging."
Watkins added that be believes Vigluicci is "extremely capable" to take over the probe.
Vigluicci has 27 years of trial experience and has been the elected prosecuting attorney of Portage County since 1994.
Vigluicci served as special prosecutor in Trumbull County in 2001. He handled the case of Edward Flask, a former director of the Mahoning Valley Sanitary District.
"My office also has an agreement with the Portage County Prosecutor's office to provide each other legal assistance when outside counsel is needed because of a conflict of interest," Watkins said. "So there will be no cost. This saves the taxpayers of both counties money in such cases."
Watkins noted that a few months ago one of his assistant prosecutors was sent to Portage County to handle a murder case.
sinkovich@vindy.com