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Zachariah, last of Oakhill defendants, enters innocent plea
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John Zachariah
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- (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
By Peter Milliken
By PETER H. MILLIKEN
YOUNGSTOWN
John Zachariah, former Mahoning County Job and Family Services director, was arraigned in absentia on corruption charges related to the county’s purchase of Oakhill Renaissance Place.
He was the last of the Oakhill defendants to be arraigned.
Zachariah sent the Mahoning County Common Pleas Court a letter waiving his appearance at his arraignment and entering an innocent plea to all charges.
Zachariah is charged with engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, two counts of conspiracy, three counts of perjury and one count each of bribery and tampering with records.
His letter was faxed from the Cleveland law firm of Synenberg & Associates, but Zachariah’s lawyer, Roger Synenberg, also did not attend the arraignment.
Although he wasn’t required to be present for his Tuesday arraignment, Zachariah, 64, of Chagrin Falls, must self-report to the county jail for booking before 10 a.m. today and will be released immediately on his own recognizance without having to post a cash bond, according to a judgment entry from Judge Maureen A. Sweeney.
Zachariah is one of eight defendants named in a 73-count Mahoning County grand-jury indictment issued July 28, who are accused of conspiring criminally to prevent or delay JFS’ move from Cafaro Co.-owned rented quarters to Oakhill, which the county bought in 2006.
Oakhill is the former Forum Health Southside Medical Center, to which JFS moved in July 2007.
The only person appearing before Judge Sweeney for Zachariah’s arraignment was David P. Muhek, an assistant Lorain County prosecutor, assigned as a special prosecutor.
Zachariah, who became JFS director July 5, 2005, abruptly announced his resignation in February 2007 at a county commissioners’ meeting and made it effective March 2, 2007. However, the indictment says he participated in the conspiracy from the day he became JFS director here until Dec. 12, 2008.
Muhek declined to discuss details of the case.