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County leaders are speechless on case — for now
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- In more Oakhill coverage ...
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- (5/17) COVERAGE: Top court removes paralegal deposition in Oakhill case
- (5/10) COVERAGE: Filing in Oakhill case accuses Gains of misconduct
- (4/23) COVERAGE: Debate goes on in Oakhill complaint
- (3/7) COVERAGE: Gains loses five issues before Ohio high court
- (3/1) COVERAGE: Judge: Oakhill lawyer won’t be on taxpayer dole
- (2/15) COVERAGE: Former JFS director wants lawyer at taxpayers’ expense
- (2/4) COVERAGE: County appoints outside prosecutor for high-court action in Oakhill case
- (2/2) COVERAGE: Oakhill judge denies latest plea for secrecy
- (1/25) COVERAGE: Vindy seeks high court help on Oakhill
- (1/8) COVERAGE: Defendants in Oakhill case seek more secrecy
- (1/4) COVERAGE: Prosecutors file last bill in Oakhill case
- (12/23) COVERAGE: Oakhill file points to FBI role
- (12/10) OPINION: Oakhill case opens this week — at last
- (7/29) BIOGRAPHIES: CAFAROS || Biographies
- (7/29) BIOGRAPHIES: OAKHILL PROBE || Other bios
- (7/30) OPINION: A break with public trust is ample cause for resignation
- (7/30) CHARGES: OAKHILL || WHO'S CHARGED
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Lisa Antonini
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Mahoning County Commissioner Anthony Traficanti
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David Betras, Mahoning County Democratic Party chairman.
By Elise Franco
YOUNGSTOWN
Mahoning County Courthouse halls were uncharacteristically quiet and empty on a day when they were expected to be buzzing.
A special grand jury handed up indictments Thursday of seven individuals and three corporations tied to their roles in the 2006 purchase of Oakhill Renaissance Place.
Without the presence of two television cameras and a handful or reporters, however, passers-by might not have known the day was anything but ordinary.
County Commissioner John A. McNally IV, Auditor Michael V. Sciortino, then-county Treasurer John B. Reardon, Attorney Martin Yavorcik, Anthony M. Cafaro Sr., Flora Cafaro and former Job 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 the county’s purchase of Oakhill.
Among the 73 counts are charges ranging from money laundering to tampering with records to perjury and bribery.
Inside the courthouse several bailiffs walked by the waiting reporters —asking teasingly, “What are you all waiting for?”
The mood became increasingly tense as word of the indictments’ contents began to trickle into the county offices.
Carol McFall, chief deputy auditor, and Paul Gains, Mahoning County prosecutor, declined to comment.
Lisa Antonini, county treasurer, and state Sen. Capri Cafaro, D-32nd, didn’t return calls for comment Thursday.
Anthony T. Traficanti, chairman of the county commissioners, said he would make a statement in the next few days, after he’s had time to review the indictments.
“My focus right now is to make Mahoning County better and move beyond what has been released to the county,” he said. “I’m reserving further comment until a later date.”
David Betras, Mahoning County Democratic Party chairman, also said he’ll be studying the indictments and making a statement later.
“It’s a very serious matter,” he said. “I think it would not be fair to anyone to comment until I can read over the indictments.”
In terms of what this will do to Mahoning County’s image, Betras said he thinks outsiders won’t make as big of a deal of it as those who live and work in the county.
“I think we’re harder on ourselves than everyone else is,” he said.