Former Summit County deputy charged with theft was previously arrested for theft before SCSO hired him

AKRON, Ohio (WOIO) – 19 Investigators have learned that a former Summit County Sheriff’s deputy – accused of stealing thousands of dollars in overtime pay – had two previous arrests for theft. Records show these arrests occurred years before SCSO hired him to work as a deputy.

The question now is: why did SCSO hire him in the first place?

In September 2021, the Summit County Sheriff’s Office hired Marcello Thomas to work as a deputy at the jail.

Last month 19 Investigates first reported a grand jury secretly indicted Marcello Thomas on 12 felony counts after investigators said he stole thousands of dollars in overtime he didn’t work.

According to reports, Thomas stole more than 380 hours of overtime between December 2023 and May 2024, totaling $21,157.23.

19 Investigations began looking into Thomas’ background and discovered that he had been arrested for similar charges in the past.

Records show that in July 2013, while working at North Coast Auto in Bedford, Thomas was observed on video camera picking up his manager’s iPhone and then placing it in his front left pocket.

That phone was later tracked to Thomas’ home.

The report states that his manager called him to no avail and asked him to return the phone.

When days passed without a response, the manager filed charges.

Records show Thomas was originally charged with theft, but pleaded “no contest” to a reduced charge of disorderly conduct.

The following year, records show Thomas was again charged with theft.

This time for stealing $802 from Sprint Wireless in Independence on April 23, 2014.

Thomas pleaded “no contest” to a reduced fee for “unauthorized use of property.”

A judge sentenced Thomas to 30 days in jail with time suspended.

He was also ordered to complete a shoplifting course, pay back the money, perform 100 hours of community service – and was placed on probation.

Records show he violated probation in 2017 and was sentenced to 10 days in jail.

We asked SCSO if they conducted a background check on Thomas before hiring him – they did not respond.

We also spoke to Thomas by phone, but he declined to comment.

He now faces a total of 12 charges: one for office theft, one for attempted office theft and 10 charges for tampering with documents.

Thomas pleaded “not guilty” to all charges.

His second hearing is scheduled for Nov. 5 in the Summit County Court of Common Pleas.