Mahoning Co. deputy is violating policy, sheriff says

In a county sheriff's office plagued by corruption, the Youngstown Vindicator is reporting that a Mahoning County deputy sheriff who continues to live with a felon may be fired pending the outcome of an Internal Affairs investigation, according to Sheriff Randall A. Wellington.

From the story:

Wellington said Wednesday that Deputy Kim Marciano's relationship with 28-year-old Larese Jones, convicted of robbery in 2002, is a violation of department policy. The sheriff said deputies cannot associate with felons in any way.

Marciano and Jones live in a Wampum Drive house on the city's West Side. Marciano and her husband, a city police officer, are getting a divorce.

Wellington said Marciano, 42, has been with the sheriff's department since March 1994. She is a sister of Police Chief Robert E. Bush Jr., a candidate for mayor. Reached Wednesday, Bush had no comment.

This is only the latest of several corrupt officials to have had troubles with the law in Mahoning County in recent memory. When it comes to administration of the concealed carry law, a different kind of corruption appears to be coming from the very top.

According to Attorney General Petro's 2004 annual report, the Mahoning County sheriff's office issued 1.77% of the licenses issued in the state (18th overall), but had 8.49% of the denials (2nd overall) - a denial rate of 1 denial for every 21.8 concealed handgun licenses issued. The only county with more denials was Hamilton. However, that county issued 173% of the licenses that Mahoning did. Initial calculations suggest that Mahoning County has, by far, has the highest denial per issuance rate in the state.

OFCC has been notified of several instances of CHL-holders who say they have been forced to wait months and months before receiving their licenses in this county. Instances of denials for non-disqualifying reasons are also being reported to OFCC.

Judging by these reports, civil rights proponents and Internal Affairs officials need to be looking out for CHL-applicants in Mahoning Co. every bit as much as they do for prison inmates or wayward deputies.