Man pleads innocent to fraud charges

The defendant called his lawyer to arrange his surrender.

YOUNGSTOWN — The second defendant in an alleged automobile-dealing fraud scheme is free on a $3,000 cash bond after appearing with his lawyer for his arraignment Wednesday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

Through his lawyer, J. Gerald Ingram, Buddy Harvey, 41, of Canton entered innocent pleas to all charges during the arraignment before Magistrate Dominic DeLaurentis of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

Harvey is charged with 43 theft counts, 15 title offenses, three records-tampering counts and one count each of defrauding creditors and passing bad checks.

Ingram requested a $30,000 bond for Harvey, with permission to post 10 percent of that, saying Harvey has no prior criminal record and no passport and has “made no effort to flee.” The magistrate went along with that bond request and allowed Harvey to self-report to the Mahoning County Justice Center for booking.

Robert Bush, chief of the criminal division of the county prosecutor’s office, made no statement in court concerning Harvey’s bond.

Ingram said Harvey was in Maryland when he learned of the indictment by reading a Vindicator account of it, and Harvey immediately called him to arrange for his surrender here Wednesday. The case is assigned to Judge John M. Durkin, and a pretrial hearing will be at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.

“We look forward to the opportunity to defend against these allegations,” Ingram said after court.

Judge Durkin approved the release of Harvey’s brother, Gregory A. Harvey, 36, of Berlin Center, on his own recognizance after his Tuesday arraignment. Gregory Harvey was charged in the same indictment with 27 theft counts, one count of tampering with records and 12 title offenses.

The 63-count indictment pertains to alleged offenses at the former Harv’s Cars dealership, which operated in Boardman and earlier in Canfield.