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Sciortino to plead guilty April 11 to felony, misdemeanor
YOUNGSTOWN
Ex-Mahoning County Auditor Michael V. Sciortino will have to wait until April 11 to plead guilty to criminal charges in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.
Sciortino was sentenced Monday in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court to a year of probation after being convicted on one felony and two misdemeanors related to his involvement in the Oakhill Renaissance Place scandal.
Sciortino, a Democrat, was to plead guilty Thursday in Mahoning County court to one felony and one misdemeanor of unauthorized use of property – computer or telecommunication property.
But Visiting Judge Patricia A. Cosgrove, who is overseeing Sciortino’s case in Mahoning County, isn’t available that day, and scheduled his plea date for April 11.
The pleas in Mahoning County are part of a deal he made Feb. 26 with special prosecutors to end cases here and in Cuyahoga County.
Sciortino was indicted June 4, 2015, in Mahoning County on 25 felonies: 21 counts of unauthorized use of property – computer or telecommunication property – and four counts of theft in office.
His sentencing date isn’t set, but should be in May. It’s highly unlikely Judge Cosgrove will sentence him to prison time.
Court documents state Sciortino illegally used county-owned computers and other equipment more than 300 times for political purposes, his personal DJ/band business and law practice, and had three employees help him.
In Cuyahoga County, Sciortino faced 11 felonies and six misdemeanors.
Sciortino’s deal had him plead guilty to a felony count of having an unlawful interest in a public contract – reduced from a higher felony of tampering with records – and misdemeanors of falsification – reduced from perjury – and receiving or soliciting improper compensation.
He was accused of being part of a criminal enterprise to stop or impede Mahoning County’s purchase of Oakhill, the former Forum Health Southside Medical Center.