Panezich gets 6 years in sports memorabilia fraud case

YOUNGSTOWN

A defendant in a sports-memorabilia fraud case has been sentenced to six years in prison.

Clifton J. Panezich, 31, of Henderson, Nev., drew the sentence Tuesday from Judge Maureen A. Sweeney of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

The prosecution had recommended between three to seven years in prison for him.

Panezich “is the main person in this criminal enterprise,” said Ralph Rivera, an assistant county prosecutor.

Panezich pleaded guilty in December to aggravated theft, identity fraud, telecommunications fraud, money laundering, engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity and three counts of forgery with a forfeiture specification.

Panezich was charged with defrauding people by peddling fake sports memorabilia between 2010 and 2015.

The investigation of the ring had been ongoing between Canfield police and the FBI for at least four years.

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