4 to face charges of corruption in NE Ohio

CLEVELAND (AP) — Charges in a wide-ranging corruption investigation reached the highest levels of county government Friday, alleging that two elected officials got casino trips, expensive meals, free use of a condominium and limousine rides in return for steering contracts.

The pair, identified only as “Public Official 1” and “Public Official 2,” weren’t named in the charges filed against three former employees of the county engineer’s office and a halfway-house manager.

The investigation is continuing, according to the U.S. attorney’s office, which wouldn’t identify the elected officials.

“Public Official 1” and “Public Official 2” were mentioned repeatedly in charges filed in U.S. District Court against former Parma school board member Kevin Kelley and three others in the yearlong investigation of Cuyahoga County government, which has long been dominated by the Democratic Party.

The charges were filed against Kelley, 39, of Parma, Kevin Payne, 54, of Brecksville, and Daniel Gallagher, 58, of Strongsville, former employees of the county engineer’s office, and former Bedford Municipal Court deputy bailiff Brian Schuman, 32, of Bedford, who has helped run an inmate halfway house.

Kelley was charged in 11 counts, including bribery conspiracy, fraud and filing false tax returns. Payne and Gallagher were each charged in eight counts, including bribery conspiracy and filing false tax returns. Schuman was charged with a single count of bribery conspiracy.

Attorneys for Payne and Gallagher said their clients plan to plead guilty and cooperate in the investigation.

The attorneys for the others didn’t immediately respond to requests to comment. When charges are detailed in an information, instead of an indictment, it usually means a plea arrangement has been struck.

Kelley, who had been on paid leave from his $142,000-a-year job, resigned Friday. Gallagher and Payne are retired from the engineer’s office.

The high-profile investigation has focused on county Commissioner Jimmy Dimora and his longtime friend, county Auditor Frank Russo. Neither has been charged. Phone messages left at their county offices Friday were not immediately returned.

Last year, federal agents raided the homes and offices of Dimora, Russo, Kelley and contractors doing business with the county.

According to the charges, Kelley interceded to help a business land a $250,000 contract with the county by paying for an April 2008 trip to Las Vegas for “Public Official 1” and “Public Official 2.”

To conceal who paid for the Las Vegas trip, the two elected officials gave Kelley checks for the travel cost, and they were reimbursed in cash, the charges said.

Other alleged targets of the bribery schemes included contracts that were part of a $160 million juvenile detention center project, $3 million in road repaving and a $4 million office lease. In consideration for the lease deal, one elected official got free use of a $1,500-a-month condominium and limousine service for family members 22 times, including trips to Detroit and Canadian casinos and to take a family member to college.