Judge refuses to dismiss conviction of telemarketer

Associated Press

CLEVELAND

A federal judge has refused to dismiss a Northeast Ohio telemarketing millionaire’s lone conviction on a charge of witness tampering.

Attorneys for 72-year-old Ben Suarez of North Canton had asked that Judge Patricia Gaughan dismiss the charge based on faulty jury instructions. Gaughan issued her ruling Wednesday.

A federal-court jury in June acquitted Suarez of all other counts regarding allegations that he used employees, relatives and others to illegally donate $100,000 each to U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci’s 2012 congressional campaign and state Treasurer Josh Mandel’s failed U.S. Senate bid. Prosecutors alleged Suarez wanted the Republican politicians’ help with a civil complaint filed against Suarez’s company in California.

Renacci and Mandel were not accused of wrongdoing.

Suarez is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 14 in Cleveland.