TOLEDO, Ohio — Embattled former Toledo City Council member Larry Sykes has obtained a petition to run again for city council, even as he faces federal charges in an alleged bribes-for-votes scheme, the Lucas County Board of Elections confirmed Monday.
This is the first step in the process to run for council, and no one is officially on a ballot yet.
In June, Yvonne Harper (District 4), Larry Sykes (At-Large), Tyrone Riley (District 1) and Gary Johnson (At-Large) were handed federal bribery and extortion charges for an alleged bribes-for-votes scheme. All four were arrested June 30 along with local attorney Keith Mitchell. Mitchell since has died. Harper, Sykes, Riley and Johnson have been replaced.
The former council members pleaded not guilty to charges against them.
In July, the council members voluntarily accepted their suspensions pending trial, although Sykes participated in a city council meeting and vote in early August, causing controversy.
The four Democratic Toledo City Council members and Mitchell were all mentioned in the complaint for their alleged roles in an alleged bribes-for-votes scandal that dates back to 2013.
The scheme allegedly encouraged soliciting and/or accepting cash, checks, money orders or other things of value from local business owners in exchange for the council members' votes. Mitchell, 69, is accused of funneling the bribes for Harper.
The grand jury charged them with:
- Riley: one count of conspiracy and five counts of extortion
- Harper: one count of conspiracy, two counts of extortion, and one count of conspiracy to commit extortion
- Mitchell: one count of conspiracy and two counts of extortion
- Johnson: one count of conspiracy and two counts of extortion
- Sykes: one count of conspiracy and two counts of extortion