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Ex-Youngstown mayor is booked at county jail
YOUNGSTOWN
Ex-Youngstown Mayor Charles Sammarone was booked Wednesday at the Mahoning County jail for his alleged involvement in a public-corruption indictment.
The indictment alleges Sammarone as mayor took $10,000 in cash payments from a vendor in return for steering projects to that person’s company. Sammarone served as mayor from August 2011 to December 2013.
Sammarone, 75, of Youngstown, also is accused of failing to disclose the payments along with rental income derived from owning a condo in Florida and is accused of making false statements about the money to state investigative officials.
He was indicted last Thursday along with former city Finance Director David Bozanich, 61, of Youngstown, and downtown property developer Dominic Marchionda, 58, of Poland.
The three, along with a dozen of Marchionda’s affiliated companies, face 101 felony counts in the indictment.
The three are supposed to be arraigned at 9 a.m. Tuesday in front of Judge Anthony D’Apolito of common pleas court.
The three are expected to waive their arraignments and have their attorneys submit written not-guilty pleas.
As of Wednesday, Bozanich and Marchionda haven’t turned themselves in to be booked, but they are expected to do so shortly.
The indictment alleges Bozanich illegally received cash, golf fees, meals, trips and other benefits exceeding $125,000 over a 10-year period.
Bozanich served as finance director until December 2017. The indictment alleges that Bozanich received benefits from several individuals and in return agreed to assist in securing public funding from the city for economic development projects, including Marchionda’s.
The indictment accuses Marchionda of misusing money obtained from the city as well as the state and federal governments for the Flats at Wick student housing complex and projects to turn the Erie Terminal Place and Wick Towers into downtown apartments.
He is accused of improperly spending at least $600,000 from city funds on personal items.