Trumbull County residents have reason to be hopeful

Of all the news making headlines last week in the Mahoning Valley, it was the front-page story Friday about Trumbull County Sheriff Thomas Altiere's appearance before the special grand jury investigating the county purchasing scandal that brought a sign of relief from us.
That's because for the past couple of months it seemed to us the investigation had hit a dry spell and that many of the allegations against public officials in Trumbull County would never be fully explored. The seven indictments in the purchasing scandal, while revealing the depth of corruption in county government, have not answered the key question: Were any elected officials involved?
The question is not to be taken lightly, seeing as how at least two of the individuals indicted have implicated others.
That is why we were encouraged by last week's story about the sheriff going before the grand jury. It was the third time he was asked to testify, but Altiere insists he is not a target. Indeed, he isn't the only elected official to appear before the grand jury. Commissioner James Tsagaris and former commissioner and now Warren Mayor Michael O'Brien have also acknowledged appearing before the panel in the past.
The purchasing scandal was uncovered by Vindicator reporters who spent more than two years poring over records relating to supplies ordered by Tony Delmont, who was the maintenance director. The newspaper's investigative series prompted the county prosecutor and state agencies to launch a formal inquiry.
$1 million scam
In May 2004, Delmont pleaded guilty to bribery, money laundering and theft-in-office. For at least three years, he was buying maintenance and cleaning supplies in huge quantities and at exorbitant prices. It has been estimated that the scam cost taxpayers more than $1 million.
In a three-page affidavit filed in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court, Delmont claims he gave $50,000 to elected officials, as well as tickets for sporting events, electronic equipment and other gifts. He also contended that all his actions were at the specific direction of the commissioners and/or sheriff.
Another key participant in the scam, Barry Bonchak of Cleveland, who pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of bribery and one misdemeanor count of theft, said in a two-page affidavit that he paid thousands of dollars yearly in return for getting the chance to do business in Trumbull County.
Bonchak also claimed that while in Trumbull County he found that terms such as fund-raiser and golf outing were substitutes for bribery.
We don't know what other allegations have been made against officeholders by the other individuals who have been indicted, but even if there aren't any, what has been alleged by Delmont and Bonchak cannot be ignored.
When this case is wrapped up, residents of Trumbull County should be able to rest assured that corruption has been rooted out of county government and that no public official involved in the purchasing scam succeeded in beating the rap.