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UPDATED WITH CHARGES: 7 indicted in Oakhill case
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YOUNGSTOWN — Seven people were indicted today by a Mahoning County grand jury on charges of corruption in connection with the county’s purchase of Oakhill Renaissance Place.
Mahoning County Commissioner John A. McNally IV, County Auditor Michael V. Sciortino, then-county treasurer John B. Reardon, attorney Martin Yavorcik, businessman Anthony M. Cafaro Sr., Flora Cafaro and former Jobs and Family Services Director John Zachariah plus the Cafaro Co., the Ohio Valley Mall and the Marion Plaza were all named in charges in connection with county’s purchase of Oakhill.
Among the 73 counts are charges ranging from money laundering to tampering with records to perjury and bribery.
Individual charges:
• Anthony M. Cafaro Sr.: two counts of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity (second-degree felonies); two counts of conspiracy (third-degree felonies); three counts of perjury (third-degree felonies); four counts of bribery (third-degree felonies); and three counts of money laundering (third-degree felonies).
• Flora Cafaro: money laundering, a third-degree felony.
• Attorney Martin Yavorcik: money laundering, a third-degree felony.
• County Commissioner John A. McNally IV: engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity (second-degree felony); two counts of conspiracy (third-degree felony); three counts of perjury (third-degree felony); bribery (third-degree felony); disclosure of confidential information (first-degree misdemeanor); two counts of conflict of interest (first-degree misdemeanor); and soliciting or accepting improper compensation (first-degree misdemeanor).
• Former County Treasurer John Reardon: engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity (second-degree felony); two counts of conspiracy (third-degree felony); two counts of perjury (third-degree felony); bribery (third-degree felony); two counts of conflict of interest (first-degree misdemeanor); and filing false financial disclosure statement with the Ohio Ethics Commission (first-degree misdemeanor).
• County Auditor Michael V. Sciortino: engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity (second-degree felony); two counts of conspiracy (third-degree felony); two counts of perjury (third-degree felony); bribery (third-degree felony); two counts of conflict of interest (first-degree misdemeanors); filing false financial disclosure statement with the Ohio Ethics Commission (first-degree misdemeanor); and soliciting or accepting improper compensation (first-degree misdemeanor).
• Former Jobs and Family Services Director John Zachariah: engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity (second-degree felony); two counts of conspiracy (third-degree felony); three counts of perjury (third-degree felony); bribery (third-degree felony); and tampering with records (third-degree felony)
The county bought Oakhill, which is the former Forum Health Southside Medical Center, in 2006 for use as a county office complex. The 353,000-square-foot Oakhill complex was built in stages between 1910 and 1972.
For the complete story, see Friday's Vindicator and Vindy.com