Preliminary hearing for Lorain County prosecutor, chief of staff facing criminal charges

ELYRIA, Ohio (WOIO) – Lorain County Prosecutor JD Tomlinson and his chief of staff James Burge will appear for a preliminary hearing Friday morning. according to court records.

The court appearance comes days after Tomlinson was fired from his position as Lorain County prosecutor in the recent election.

On Oct. 16, Tomlinson and Burge appeared side by side in Elyria Municipal Court Wednesday afternoon.

The October hearing was held before guest judge Patrick Carroll.

“I realize that this case has taken on a bit of a life of its own because it is politically charged,” Carroll said.

Tomlinson is charged with tampering with evidence, intimidation and attempted bribery.

Burge is charged with tampering with evidence and intimidation.

Former Franklin County Prosecutor Ronald O’Brien has been appointed special prosecutor for the case.

According to a twenty-two-page report from the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office, the charges stem from allegations made by former employee Jennifer Battistelli.

According to the report, Battistelli began working at the prosecutor’s office in January 2021 and began dating Tomlinson later that spring.

Battistelli claimed that Tomlinson became obsessed with her and called her a hundred times a day.

In the summer of 2023, Battistelli filed a formal complaint against Tomlinson and resigned.

She said Tomlinson and Burge tried to make false statements in an effort to get her complaints dropped.

During the hearing, Battistelli’s attorney requested a restraining order against him and his client.

“The defendants have made numerous statements about me that are false. Actually defamatory,” said Lowder.

Neither Tomlinson nor Barge have entered a plea.

19 News has reached out to both Tomlinson and Burge for comment but has not heard back.