A former Ohio Department of Transportation employee at the heart of a corruption probe has been indicted for allegedly threatening a witness in the case.

Dennis Kratochvil, 64, faces a single count of intimidation now but is expected to face more charges later, said Ryan Miday, spokesman for Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Bill Mason.

Before Kratochvil was charged Thursday, nine people — including two Lorain County businessmen — had been charged in connection with the sweeping investigation. All of them have been described as cooperating witnesses in the case, and prosecutors have said up to 31 people could be charged before the case is completed.

Miday refused to say who Kratochvil allegedly threatened or what was said, but he said the incident took place earlier this week, prompting a swift presentation of the case to a grand jury.

“He threatened harm of the state’s witnesses if that witness testified for the state against him in the ODOT corruption case,” Miday said.

Kratochvil, who served as facilities manager for the Garfield Heights ODOT office, is scheduled to be arraigned today.

The ODOT investigation began after a former employee of North Shore Door in Elyria sent an e-mail to state officials complaining about how contracts were awarded at the office where Kratochvil worked. That e-mail led to a massive probe by Ohio Inspector General Tom Charles, who released a 69-page report last year detailing contract-steering and bribery at the Garfield Heights ODOT office.

The reported laid out numerous allegations, including accusations of strippers, ODOT workers and vendors taking day-long boat trips, expensive Christmas parties at Cleveland strip clubs, and bribes ranging from hunting trips and guns to cash payments and the selling of stolen ODOT equipment by employees.

Craig Gorsuch, president of West Shore New Holland in North Ridgeville, has already pleaded guilty to a bribery charge in the case and is awaiting sentencing.

Mark O’Donnell, president of North Shore Door, has been charged with bribery as well and is due in a Cuyahoga County courtroom again next week.

Contact Brad Dicken at 329-7147 or bdicken@chroniclet.com.

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