Mayor of East Cleveland faces multiple charges, including theft

EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – The mayor of East Cleveland is expected to be arraigned Friday morning in the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas.

Mayor Brandon L. King was scheduled to be arraigned on November 1, but this was continued a week later.

King was indicted on October 10 on several charges.

King faces charges including:

Two counts of office theft
Four charges of unlawful interest in a government contract
Four counts of representation by a public official or employee
Filing a false disclosure statement
Asking for unjustified compensation

“Mayor Brandon King has demonstrated a complete disregard and disregard for the rule of law,” said Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley. “The citizens of East Cleveland deserve better. The investigation continues.”

According to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office, Mayor King authorized a government contract and payments through the City of East Cleveland to his own businesses and businesses owned by his family members.

Mayor King also authorized office space in a building on Euclid Avenue owned by King Management Group Limited to be leased to East Cleveland’s Domestic Violence Department, according to the prosecutor’s office.

The lease was $14,184.21 per year.

From March 16, 2019, through February 22, 2022, East Cleveland also purchased $5,803.17 worth of cleaning supplies from American Merchandising Services.

According to the Attorney General’s Office, King Management Group and American Merchandising Services are both owned by Mayor King and his family members.

Additionally, from January 1, 2018 to March 31, 2022, Mayor King “improperly provided a City of East Cleveland vehicle to East Cleveland Councilman Ernest Smith. King also provided Smith with City of East Cleveland gas cards to purchase vehicle fuel.

According to the prosecutor’s office, while in possession of the vehicle, Councilor Smith used gas cards to purchase $6,791 worth of gasoline at East Cleveland’s expense.

The Ohio Auditor of State and the Ohio Ethics Commission are investigating.

According to the prosecutor’s office:

Councilman Ernest Smith was also indicted on the following charges:

Theft in the office
Two thefts
Asking for unjustified compensation
Credit card abuse