State opposes expungement of records for former Trumbull County engineer

Staff report

WARREN

The Ohio Attorney General’s office is asking that a visiting judge deny expungement of all records related to the conviction of David DeChristofaro in 2011 on charges of felony theft and misdemeanor having a conflict of interest.

The state has filed a memorandum in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.

DeChris-tofaro was convicted shortly after resigning as Trumbull County engineer as part of an agreement with prosecutors. His convictions related to having employees carry out political and personal tasks on county time.

Atty. Paul S. Scarsella, senior assistant attorney general, said the records should not be expunged because an elected official “is to be held to a higher standard.”

Atty. Robert Shaker, representing DeChristofaro, filed a motion asking for the records to be sealed.

His motion noted that DeChristofaro is a first-time offender and has no other criminal proceedings pending and that “his rehabilitation has been attained.”

DeChristofaro seeks to have records sealed and expunged through the common pleas court, clerk of courts, sheriff’s office and jail, adult probation department, county prosecutor’s office, FBI, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Ohio Ethics Commission, Ohio Attorney General’s Office, and three credit-rating services.

The case is assigned to Judge Richard D. Reinbold Jr. of Stark County, who sentenced DeChristofaro to two years’ probation and ordered him to pay $5,000 in restitution and $7,400 for the cost of the criminal investigation.

DeChristofaro was elected county engineer in November 2008 and took office in January 2009.