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

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

King was indicted on multiple charges on October 10.

King faces charges including:

• Two counts of theft in office
• Four counts of having an unlawful interest in a public contract
• Four counts of impersonation by public official or employee
• Filing a false disclosure statement
• Claiming improper compensation

“Mayor Brandon King has shown a complete disregard and contempt for the rule of law,” said District Attorney 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 public contract and payments through the City of East Cleveland to his own businesses and businesses owned by members of his family.

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

The rent was $14,184.21 annually.

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

King Management Group and American Merchandising Services are both owned by Mayor King and members of his family, according to the prosecutor’s office.

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

According to the prosecutor’s office, while Councilman Smith owned the vehicle, he used gas cards to purchase $6,791 worth of gas at East Cleveland’s expense.

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

According to the prosecutor’s office:

Councilor Ernest Smith was also indicted on the following charges:

• Theft in the office
• Two counts of theft
• Claiming improper compensation
• Misuse of credit cards

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