UPDATED | Gerberry pleads guilty; sentenced to probation

YOUNGSTOWN — Ronald V. Gerberry, who resigned effective today from the Ohio House, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of unlawful compensation of a public official in court this morning.

Gerberry, a Democrat from Austintown, was given a suspended sentence of 180 days in jail plus three years of unsupervised probation and 500 hours of community service by Mahoning County Common Pleas Court Judge Maureen A. Sweeney as part of a plea bargain. A $1,000 fine was also suspended.

“It is with deep regret and shame that my public life ends in this way,” Gerberry said after his sentencing.

The deal allowed Gerberry to plead to the single charge in exchange for cooperating with prosecutors in other local political corruption investigations and cases.

Also, the agreement required Gerberry to resign as a state representative and not run for office for seven years.

Gerberry, who was the most-senior member of the House before his resignation, acknowledged he improperly solicited or accepted compensation between October 2008 and October 2010.

The Vindicator exclusively reported Aug. 11 that sources close to the investigation said Gerberry overpaid vendors to make it appear he spent money from his political campaign fund and then had it returned to him later as a refund. By appearing to not have much cash in that fund, Gerberry paid less money to the Ohio House Democratic Caucus, which uses cash from its members to fund candidates for House elections.

After his sentencing, Gerberry confirmed that he purposely hid the money. Despite pleading guilty, Gerberry contended he didn’t know he was committing a crime.

He said during the 2009-2010 election cycle that the caucus “put tremendous pressure on its members to contribute money to the campaign of other Democrats. I attempted to hide money from the caucus with the understanding that what money was not spent on media would be refunded to my campaign. I was not aware that was an improper transaction. Ignorance of the law is no excuse and I accept full responsibility for my actions.”

Gerberry added that the money was refunded to his campaign fund and not to him personally.

Gerberry, 62, spent 27 years in the state House, and including time on the Austintown school board and as county recorder, he’s been an elected official for 42 years.

For the complete story, read Saturday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com