Belinky and lawyers discussing possible plea to felony charges

YOUNGSTOWN

A source says former Mahoning County Probate Judge Mark Belinky may be entering a guilty plea to felony charges this afternoon.

Right now Belinky, his lawyer J. Gerald Ingram and assistant Attorney General Daniel Kasaris are in chambers, privately discussing the case with visiting Judge Ronald Suster, retired Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court judge.

Belinky resigned his seat earlier this year and also chose not to run for reelection in the Democratic primary, after investigators served a search warrant at his home and office in the court in February.

According to the returned search warrants, investigators seized campaign finance and bank records.

Belinky has had tax problems in the past.

He was appointed to the seat when former Probate Judge Timothy Maloney resigned then ran for election for the seat and won in 2008.