ELYRIA — Nearly four years after he was first indicted on corruption charges, former Lorain County Commissioner Michael Ross went on trial Monday.

Ross, 45, has repeatedly denied wrongdoing in the case and his attorney, Michael Nelson, urged jurors to clear Ross of the 22 charges — two counts each of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, conspiracy, three counts each of bribery and failure to file a tax return, four counts of money laundering and eight counts of unlawful interest in a public contract.

Prosecutors contend that Ross made a great deal of money off county deals, particularly those involving his former associate, Larry Jones, who is expected to be the first witness on the stand today.

Jones is already serving time in a federal prison after pleading guilty in 2007 to federal bank fraud and money laundering charges for bilking banks out of nearly $2 million in bank loans to keep his business, Erie Shores Computers Inc., afloat. He has also pleaded guilty to charges of bribing Ross and has agreed to testify against the former commissioner, who lost his 2000 re-election bid.

During his four years as commissioner, prosecutors say, Ross received a great deal of money from his dealing with Jones, who had several computer contracts with the county. Ross also once worked as Jones’ attorney.

Randall Gordon, the former president of the Cleveland architectural firm that designed the $40 million Lorain County Justice Center project, and Vincent Carbone, whose now defunct Cleveland construction firm, oversaw construction of the project, both served six months behind bars after pleading guilty to bribing Ross. Both men have agreed to testify against Ross.

Warren Finkel, a local architect who was briefly a subcontractor on the project, was charged in the case but died before his case went to trial.

Gordon allegedly stole $400,000 by billing the county for work supposedly done by Erie Shores, and some of that money went to Ross, according to prosecutors.

Carbone allegedly paid a $224,000 bribe to win the contract to oversee the Justice Center’s construction, according to court documents.

And in 2000 Ross and the other commissioners voted to purchase the former J.C. Penny building on East Avenue from Erie shores for $400,000. Erie Shores had purchased the building just a few months earlier for $250,000.

Nelson said that as a lone commissioner Ross simply didn’t have the power to steer county contracts to any business — all of the commissioners had to vote on the contracts.

“You have to have a majority vote,” he said, pointing out that the other commissioners at the time, Betty Blair and Mary Jo Vasi were never charged in connection with the case.

Nor, Nelson said, was the late Virgil Muntean, who was county administrator during most of Ross’ tenure as a commissioner. Muntean, had he lived, would have been a key witness for Ross, according to a motion Nelson filed Friday asking that the charges against Ross be dismissed.

Visiting Judge Judith Cross denied that motion Monday.

Nelson also said that various boards and committees reviewed the contracts that were presented to the commissioners. In order for Ross to have been bribed, he said, so would a lot of other people.

“If there was any bribery going on it had to be pretty deep,” he said.

Ross is also facing charges he bilked his legal clients out of thousands of dollars from legal clients, but those allegations will be dealt with in a separate trial, according to court records. Ross was permanently disbarred in 2005 by the Ohio Supreme Court.

Ross was found guilty in 2007 of failing to pay child support but avoided prison. The mother of his children testified during that trial that although Ross didn’t make official payments to her, he did cover expenses for her children.

The corruption trial, which is expected to last three weeks, resumes today.

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

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