East Cleveland Mayor Brandon King Indicted on Corruption and Theft Charges
East Cleveland Mayor Brandon King and former City Councilman Ernest Smith have been indicted by a Cuyahoga County grand jury on multiple charges related to corruption within the city’s government. The indictments were announced Thursday by the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office.
Mayor King faces several serious charges, including:
- Two counts of theft in office (F4)
- Four counts of having an unlawful interest in a public contract (F4, M1)
- Four counts of representation by a public official or employee (M1)
- One count of filing a false disclosure statement (M1)
- One count of soliciting improper compensation (M1)
Investigators revealed that over the course of five years, King authorized city contracts and payments to businesses owned by himself and his family. Among the alleged violations, King approved leasing office space for the city’s Domestic Violence Department from a family-owned business, with the lease costing more than $14,000 per year. Additionally, nearly $6,000 in cleaning supplies were purchased from another family-owned business. King is also accused of improperly providing Smith with access to a city vehicle and gas cards for personal use.
Former councilman Ernest Smith, who had previously denied any wrongdoing, was also indicted on the following charges:
- One count of theft in office (F4)
- Two counts of theft (F5)
- One count of soliciting improper compensation (M1)
- One count of misuse of credit cards (M1)
Smith previously claimed the vehicle was only used for city business, though this is now disputed by investigators. Earlier this year, Smith was ordered by an auditor to repay thousands of dollars due to these improper actions.
If convicted, King faces a seven-year disqualification from holding public office. The prosecutor’s office has also stated that a request will be made to the Ohio Supreme Court to suspend King from his role as mayor until the case is resolved.
These indictments come as part of a broader investigation into corruption and misuse of public funds within East Cleveland’s city government. The investigation continues to unfold, and both officials are awaiting trial.
