YSU union head pleads innocent to menacing

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Ivan Maldonado

By Jon Moffett

The 20-year employee of the university is on paid leave and prohibited from campus grounds.

YOUNGSTOWN — Ivan Maldonado, president of the Association of Classified Employees union at Youngstown State University, pleaded innocent Wednesday to one misdemeanor charge of menacing.

Maldonado, of Youngstown, had turned himself in at the Mahoning County jail at 5 a.m. and later took part in the video arraignment.

Youngstown Municipal Judge Elizabeth A. Kobly released Maldonado on his own recognizance, warning him to avoid contact with his accuser, a female YSU employee and ACE union member. The judge said his bond would be revoked if he made any contact with the accuser.

Defense attorney J. Gerald Ingram said he and his client will fight the charge.

“We look forward to aggressively defending against these charges and showing that they are groundless and motivated by some type of alternative agenda,” Ingram said.

A 42-year-old female facilities department employee prompted the YSU police investigation when she told them March 11 that she believes Maldonado will cause her physical or emotional harm. Maldonado, who works in the payroll department and is a 20-year employee of the university, is accused of harassing the employee in a telephone call March 10.

The call reportedly concerned a letter of agreement signed by Maldonado and then-chief human resource officer Craig Bickley that was distributed on the YSU campus and in the community and contained a directive that it be shredded “upon completion” of the agreement.

In the complaint, the accuser told university police that Maldonado raised his voice to her.

“Then, in the same heated tone of voice, he said that if I had anything to do with the memo that it would be bad for my health,” the accuser said in her statement. When she asked Maldonado to clarify, he explained he meant her “mental health.”

YSU spokesman Ron Cole said Maldonado remains on paid administrative leave and is prohibited from campus grounds.

Prosecutor Jay Macejko did not return a phone call seeking comment.

jmoffett@vindy.com