Oakhill defendants seek filing extension to April 3

CLEVELAND — The attorneys for Youngstown Mayor John A. McNally and suspended Mahoning County Auditor Michael V. Sciortino — two of the three defendants in the Oakhill Renaissance Place criminal corruption case — are asking a judge for more time to file motions objecting to Cuyahoga County being the venue for this matter.

The attorneys — Lynn A. Maro, who represents McNally, and John B. Juhasz, who represents Sciortino — wrote that they need more time to review the “voluminous” documents and tapes given to them by prosecutors in the case.

They also wrote: “Complicating the defense efforts to complete and file” the venue challenge is they are defending attorney Scott Cochran in a federal criminal case that started Feb. 20.

The attorneys want an extension on the Oakhill filing to April 3.

Today is the deadline for defense attorneys to file motions seeking to change the venue from Cuyahoga County.

Online court documents don’t show a filing as of this time from Mark Lavelle, attorney for Martin Yavorcik, the third defendant in the Oakhill case.

The three defendants are accused 83 criminal counts including engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, bribery, conspiracy, tampering with records, perjury, and money laundering. The three have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The indictment them of illegally trying to impede or stop the move of the Mahoning County Department of Job and Family Services from the Cafaro Co.-owned Garland Plaza to Oakhill Renaissance Place, the former Forum Health Southside Medical Center.

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