Ex-Niles mayor indicted on 56 public corruption counts; wife also charged

WARREN

Two years after news of an investigation of possible corruption in Niles government began, an indictment of former Mayor Ralph Infante laid bare allegations of public corruption few could have imagined.

The 56-count indictment of Infante, released Tuesday, references bribery dating back to 1993, unreported gifts in the hundreds of thousands, including envelopes of cash around Christmas time, accepting money for a job with the city and a vice that harkens back to the Niles of yesteryear – gambling.

The indictments unsealed in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court contain a variety of allegations, including 17 counts of felony tampering with records, five counts of money laundering, two counts of theft in office, four counts of bribery and others.

The most serious charge Infante faces is engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, which carries a 10-year prison sentence upon conviction.

The other charges, especially the 17 counts of tampering, could make his possible sentence rise to more than 100 years.

The charges date back to 1993, just one year after Infante began his career as Niles mayor, which spanned 24 years, ending in 2015.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, whose office worked on the investigation with the Ohio Auditor’s Office and FBI, characterized the former mayor’s purported crimes as engaging in “graft and accepting bribes,” adding that “in all, the indictment alleges Infante received nearly $200,000 in unreported cash, income, and gifts.”

Ohio Auditor Dave Yost, in a statement, said of the charges, “We’re confident our report will be found to be proof beyond a reasonable doubt.”

The investigation into Niles government corruption began with the auditor’s office, which uncovered thefts by two city employees.

Infante's wife, Judy, 67, also faces 10 charges, accused of assisting her husband with tampering with records, mostly associated with filing false tax returns. If convicted, she could get more than 30 years in prison.

Read more about the situation in Wednesday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.