Ex-YSU union chief, 2 others indicted

By PETER H. MILLIKEN

milliken@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

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Ivan Maldonado

A Mahoning County grand jury indicted Ivan Maldonado, former president of the Association of Classified Employees and fired payroll assistant at Youngstown State University, on 10 counts of theft.

The indictment also charges him with two counts each of falsification and theft in office, and one count each of tampering with records and grand theft.

Two others also were indicted : Maldonado’s nephew, Anthony J. Maldonado, 25, of Bev Road, Boardman, and Ron Granger, 45, of Shannon Road, Girard. Both were charged in the same indictment, Anthony Maldonado with two counts of falsification and one count each of grand theft and tampering with records, and Granger with tampering with records, falsification, theft and theft in office.

Ivan Maldonado, 42, of Euclid Boulevard, Boardman, is to turn himself in for arraignment Monday morning before Judge James C. Evans of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

Judge Evans unsealed the secret indictment Friday and set Maldonado’s bond at $2,500. His lawyer is J. Gerald Ingram.

“There was a systematic submission of false documents to the university, which caused the university to send checks to the retirement board on behalf of employees who had worked there in a part-time capacity, basically buying their time back, which allowed an increase, ultimately in their pensions upon their retirement,” Robert E. Bush, chief of the criminal division of the county prosecutor’s office, said.

The indictment alleges Ivan Maldonado, who had been a 20-year YSU employee, falsified information to allow his nephew to attend YSU and receive more than $30,000 worth of tuition remission he wasn’t entitled to between 2003 and 2009.

Anthony J. Maldonado, who has no prior criminal record, turned himself in and pleaded innocent at his arraignment Friday and is free on $1,000 bond. His trial is tentatively set for May 10. His lawyer, Lou DeFabio, declined to comment.

The 2008 YSU directory listed Granger as university payroll manager. He was Ivan Maldonado’s immediate supervisor, and a certified public accountant, Bush said. Granger has been demoted, Bush added.

Granger’s current position is administrative assistant in the payroll department, and he has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of these charges, said Ron Cole, director of university communications.

Granger was arrested Friday at YSU and jailed before Judge Evans allowed him to be freed on $1,000 bond. His lawyer is Neal Atway.

Bush alleged Ivan Maldonado and Granger manipulated figures in the payroll office to reduce the amount of a garnishment against Granger from Girard Municipal Court from $500 to $121 per pay period.

The case was investigated for 51‚Ñ2 months by the Ohio State Highway Patrol and Youngstown State University Police. Bush said he would seek restitution from the defendants.

Ivan Maldonado apparently did not profit financially from the scheme, but his motive apparently was to provide benefits to his nephew, his co-worker and his friends, Bush said. “It seems like Ivan took care of folks that were close to him or had some association with him,” Bush said.

Ivan Maldonado awaits a bench trial April 12 and 13 before Judge Robert A. Douglas of Youngstown Municipal Court on an unrelated misdemeanor menacing charge, in which he is accused of making a threatening telephone call to another YSU employee in March 2009.