Final figure in Ohio corruption probe gets six years

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The final figure in a long-runningcorruption probe in the state’s
largest county has been sentenced toprison time, federal authorities said Friday.Former CuyahogaCounty
employee and Parma School Board member J. Kevin Kelley, whopleaded guilty to multiple charges, was
sentenced to six years in prisonand ordered to pay more than $700,000 for his involvement in
severalbribery schemes.Kelley, 44, is the last of more than 60 indictedpeople to be sentenced in the
investigation surrounding bribes paid toelected county officials in return for contracts, federal
authoritiessaid.The investigation — which included the FBI, the InternalRevenue Service, the U.S.
attorney’s office and other agencies — led tocounty government reforms approved by voters.Authorities
saidKelley was paid for what was billed as consulting services and then useda portion of the money to
buy first-class airfare to Las Vegas andother perks for county officials including a commissioner and an
auditornow serving prison time.Kelley pleaded guilty to multiple countsof Hobbs Act conspiracy,
conspiracy to commit mail fraud, conspiracy tocommit theft or bribery concerning programs receiving
federal funds,theft or bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds and makingfalse tax
returns.Kelley previously pleaded guilty to severalbribery schemes involving Cuyahoga County Auditor
Frank Russo, CuyahogaCounty Commissioner Jimmy Dimora and others.Russo pleaded guiltyto charges
including bribery, obstruction and tax fraud and wassentenced to nearly 22 years in federal prison. He
was the star witnessat the corruption trial of Dimora, a longtime political ally, whopleaded not guilty
but was convicted and sentenced to 28 years.Accordingto court documents, on several occasions Kelley
also steered countycontracts and Parma schools contracts to companies that paid bribes tohim or his
friends and associates. Tax returns filed for 2003 through2007 failed to disclose nearly $190,000 in
income, court documents show.Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rightsreserved. This material may
not be published, broadcast, rewritten orredistributed.

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