U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko announced recently that William Sims, 46, of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced to 195 months (16 years and three months) in prison by U.S. District Judge Dan Aaron Polster after a jury convicted Sims of all seven drug trafficking and firearms charges against him.

U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko announced this month that Willie Pratt, 35, of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced to 470 months (39 years and two months) in prison by U.S. District Judge John R. Adams after a jury earlier convicted Pratt of distributing cocaine and fentanyl that caused the death of a 42-year-old North Olmstead, Ohio resident.

U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko announced that David Powell, 67, of Cleveland, was sentenced to 240 months (20 years) in prison by U.S. District Judge Patricia A. Gaughan after earlier pleading guilty to possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

A Cleveland man who assisted his cousin in pursuing legal action against a contractor has been fined $5,000 by the Supreme Court of Ohio recently for the unauthorized practice of law.

Three Cleveland lawyers have been declared vexatious litigators by the Supreme Court of Ohio for filing an appeal in a divorce case that was contrary to well-established law.

Ramel Drew, 45, of Cleveland, was sentenced recently to 327 months (more than 27 years) in prison by U.S. District Judge John R. Adams.

A Parma man was indicted recently for child pornography crimes. Brandon N. Crites, 32, of Parma, was indicted on one count each of receipt and distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography.

In a black double-breasted suit and paisley tie, Taras Mahlay looks a bit out of place driving a forklift through a Cleveland warehouse. He got dressed up because the Ukrainian ambassador was in town Friday with former U.S. Senator Rob Portman for an event at the City Club of Cleveland. Mahlay needed to get a few pallets of medical supplies loaded into a shipping container before heading downtown, though, so they can start making their way to Ukraine.

United States Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko announced recently that Arthur Fayne, 61, who managed the development of the New East Side Market, was found guilty of all nine counts of wire fraud for embezzling more than $880,000 in funds intended to help the residents of Cleveland’s Glenville neighborhood, but which Fayne used for an extravagant lifestyle with extensive casino gambling.

At the City Club of Cleveland last week, proponents and opponents debated Issue 1, which goes before Ohio voters this November. The proposal establishes a constitutional right for Ohioans to make their own reproductive healthcare decisions, including abortion. Both sides of the debate brought along an outside expert to bolster their arguments on stage.

A federal grand jury in Cleveland returned a superseding indictment Wednesday charging Steven Saris of Canton, Ohio, with operating illegal gambling businesses (IGBs), tax evasion, conspiracy to defraud the United States, willful failure to collect and pay over employment taxes, money laundering and an obstruction-related offense. Saris was previously indicted and charged with one count of owning and operating an IGB.

United States Attorney Rebecca C. Lutzko announced recently the conclusion of a case involving five Cleveland-area men that were charged in a 47-count indictment for illegally obtaining more than $800,000 in pandemic unemployment insurance benefits using other people’s personal identifying information. The defendants were sentenced to a combined total of 284 months of imprisonment.

Rebecca C. Lutzko, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, announced that a federal grand jury sitting in Cleveland returned a 16-count indictment charging seven men with mail fraud, aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud.

Federal, county and local law enforcement officials last week announced that 59 individuals were charged and arrested in connection with firearms-trafficking, narcotics, conspiracy or other firearms offenses after a three month, violent-crime-reduction initiative in Cleveland this summer.

Former Cleveland Municipal Court Judge Pinkey Carr was found guilty and sentenced for falsification following an investigation by the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced Wednesday.