Source: subpoenas issued in Niles criminal investitation

Staff report

NILES

There apparently has been some activity in the state criminal investigation of Niles government.

Though no official in the Ohio Attorney General’s office, Ohio Auditor’s office or in Niles goverment has confirmed it, a knowledgeable source says several subpoenas have been issued in the investigation.

A subpoena typically is issued to compel someone to turn over documents or testify before a court.

Dan Kasaris, a senior assistant attorney general, was appointed to handle an investigation involving Niles that includes but is “not limited to theft in office, tampering with records, falsification and dereliction of duty,” according to a Dec. 8, 2015, judgment entry by Judge Andrew D. Logan of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.

The investigation apparently is rooted in the decision by former Niles Mayor Ralph Infante to waive building-permit and inspector fees for the Cafaro Co.’s new Niles headquarters without city council approval.

The Ohio Auditor’s Office has been the lead agency in the investigation, which has included searches by state and federal investigators since late 2014 at Infante’s house and business, at various city offices and at the Cafaro Co. offices.

State auditor’s spokesman Ben Marrison Tuesday referred questions about Niles subpoenas to the attorney general’s office.

AG spokesman Dan Tierney said: “There are no public subpoenas that I can confirm. If there is a subpoena under seal or a grand jury subpoena, those are not public and I can’t confirm them.”

Niles Mayor Thomas Scarnecchia, Cafaro Co. spokesman Joe Bell, Infante and Detective Jim Robbins of the Niles Police Department all said they knew nothing about newly issued subpoenas.