A jury has found suspended East Cleveland Mayor Brandon King guilty of 10 corruption-related charges, including theft in office and having an unlawful interest in a public contract.
King was accused of steering city contracts to businesses owned by him and his relatives.
The verdict comes after about a week of testimony from inspectors with the Ohio Ethics Commission and the Ohio Auditor of State鈥檚 office, along with former East Cleveland City Council members and officials.
King鈥檚 co-defendant, Ernest Smith, a former member of East Cleveland's City Council, was also found guilty of five charges related to his use of a city-owned vehicle, including theft in office.
During closing arguments Wednesday, Cuyahoga County Assistant Prosecutor James May described the dollar amounts King and Smith stole as not very substantial, but said the case was still important, said May.
鈥淭his case is about disregard, disdain for the rule of law, separation of powers, the way things are supposed to work,鈥� May said.
The prosecution鈥檚 case against King largely focused on city contracts with two companies started by King's father and owned by his family: King Management Group (KMG) and American Merchandising Services (AMS).
The city鈥檚 domestic violence program rented office space in an East Cleveland building owned by KMG. The arrangement started in 1998 or 1999, according to testimony, while the building was owned by his father and long before King was elected to office as a city councilperson in 2014 and before he was named mayor in 2017.
The domestic violence office pays more than $14,000 a year to KMG, and in 2024, King vetoed city council鈥檚 attempt to end the lease.
Between 2019 and 2022, the city purchased about $6,000 worth of supplies from AMS, according to the indictment.
King鈥檚 defense argued that the AMS purchases were never ordered or signed for by King, and that the domestic violence office is independent from the city and wholly funded by a grant from the State of Ohio and no city money goes to the lease payments.
鈥淚t is very clear, the major element, a public contract, does not exist,鈥� said King鈥檚 attorney Charles Tyler during closing arguments, who also said the money comes from a public source: the State of Ohio.
Multiple witnesses testified they were not aware of city council ever voting to apply for or accept a grant to fund the domestic violence unit, a step municipalities typically take before pursuing grant funding.
James Edward Hood, deputy director and general counsel for the Ohio Ethics Commission, which investigated the payments to KMG, testified that grant money is public money just like money from a city鈥檚 general fund, under the law.
鈥淭hey both are public funds and the ethics laws apply to both. It makes no difference,鈥� said Hood.
Both King鈥檚 and Smith鈥檚 attorneys said the investigations were sparked by political vendettas by council and activists.
The investigators from the Ohio Ethics Commission and auditor鈥檚 office testified the investigations began after complaints from council members and activists in East Cleveland.
The auditor鈥檚 investigation into Smith was launched after an activist photographed a city car parked in Smith鈥檚 driveway. Council passed a resolution calling for the car to be taken away from Smith, which was also vetoed by King.
鈥淓ast Cleveland records were a mess. East Cleveland City Council was a mess,鈥� said Smith鈥檚 attorney, Michael Lisk, during closing arguments. 鈥淧eople were more concerned with petty rivalries.鈥�
During his testimony, Smith said he used the car for city business 鈥� initiatives he started in the city like escorts for children to school and free meals and clothing for community members.
鈥淚t is my testimony that I have never used these vehicles for personal business,鈥� said Smith, who allegedly racked up thousands of dollars in gas charges on a city credit card.
Smith did not provide any records of how he used the car or what led to about 2,900 gallons in gas purchases, said prosecutors.
鈥淗e decided what city business was whenever he wanted to drive that car,鈥� said May.
King was suspended as mayor of East Cleveland in January while the corruption case worked its way through court. The felony conviction disqualifies both King and Smith from holding public office.
Sandra Morgan has served as interim mayor since February. The next mayoral election in the city will be in November.
Sentencing for both King and Smith is scheduled for June 9.
