Lorain Prosecutor candidates face off in a competitive race

LORAIN COUNTY, Ohio — The race for Lorain County Prosecutor has attracted a lot of attention as the incumbent fends off both political rivals and criminal charges.

Voters who cast their ballots early at the Lorain County Board of Elections told News 5 their biggest focus is on the top of the list.

“I think we need Donald Trump as our leader to get our economy back on track and secure the border,” Lorain County voter Sam Funk said.

Monica Roff stated that she voted for Kamala Harris and said, “Bodily autonomy is really important to me and I think this should be for all men and women.”

Others noted the weight of local elections but acknowledged that many of the smaller races and issues were less visible.

“I can’t say they’re on my radar that much. But of course these are important too,” said voter Luke Sword.

Prosecutor pursues criminal charges

Just steps away from the election board, yard signs, billboards and posters attached to vehicles heavily advertise the Lorain County prosecutor’s race. A van carrying a huge “Vote JD” sign was driving around the area as a contingent of JD Tomlinson supporters sat in lawn chairs to show their support for the current prosecutor.

Tomlinson currently faces criminal charges in Elyria Municipal Court. Both the prosecutor and his chief of staff, James Burge, are accused of intimidating witnesses and tampering with evidence. Tomlinson faces an additional bribery charge.

Both men insisted on their innocence:

‘We are innocent:’ Lorain County Prosecutor and Chief of Staff deny serious charges

RELATING TO: ‘We are innocent:’ Lorain County Prosecutor and Chief of Staff deny serious charges

The charges stem from a settlement with a former employee whom Tomlinson dated. When the woman left the prosecutor’s office in August 2023, she filed an employment discrimination complaint, alleging Tomlinson unfairly disciplined her and used physical force on several occasions.

The charges allege that both Tomlinson and Burge tried to persuade the woman to drop her charges. They also allege that the prosecutor offered his ex-girlfriend money to go out to dinner.

The defense attorney for both defendants submitted a response on behalf of their clients questioning the motivation behind the criminal investigation:

Court files challenge criminal charges filed against Lorain County prosecutor

RELATING TO: Court files challenge criminal charges filed against Lorain County prosecutor

The defense had hoped to present its case to the judge before the election, but a scheduling conflict with the visiting judge prevented a preliminary hearing before Nov. 5.

WHAT DOES TOMLINSON SAY?

In an interview with News 5 this week, we asked Tomlinson why voters should trust him to deliver justice in the county while he faces his own charges.

“I think they need to know the reasons behind the accusation,” he replied.

Tomlinson could not discuss the details of the criminal case but reiterated his innocence and insisted the investigation was politically motivated.

News 5

“I’m not worried about criminal charges. We have all the exculpatory evidence in the world,” Tomlinson said. “But if you can imagine, I don’t just have political opponents tasked with investigating me, this is happening 30 days before the election.”

He noted that both his former and current political rivals serve in the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office, the agency investigating the case.

Former prosecutor Dennis Will, whom Tomlinson defeated for his current position, is the sheriff’s Administrative Personnel Officer. His current opponent, Tony Cillo, was hired as deputy director of the Lorain County Drug Task Force.

The Sheriff’s Office denied any conflict of interest and stated that the person responsible for conducting the criminal investigation was the director of law enforcement.

Tomlinson also alleges that hostility increased among the political establishment during his tenure, with the wrongful convictions of Nancy Smith and Joseph Allen being overturned.

“There were volumes of exculpatory evidence that were never turned over. And I don’t think exposing this kind of behavior is something that will win many friends. “He created enemies that I really didn’t expect,” he said.

The prosecutor also accused the sheriff of abusing his authority to “fabricate” the charges and re-establish machine politics before leaving office at the end of the year.

“He has all the information,” Tomlinson said. “He’s involved with a lame duck (period). “There’s nothing connecting him to voters anymore because he’s out.”

SHERIFF’S ANSWER

Lorain County Sheriff Phil Stammitti vehemently denied Tomlinson’s accusations, providing News 5 with the following statement:

The Lorain County Sheriff’s Office investigates crimes committed by anyone in this County. Mr. Tomlinson is the person who paid $100,000 of taxpayers’ hard-earned money to a former employee and then tried to cover it up for over a year.

I hold no grudge against anyone, I have been Sheriff of Lorain County for 24 years and I have never had anyone accuse me of anything like this. I even supported Mr. Tomlinson running for Lorain County Prosecutor with a $500.00 campaign donation and even took a photo with him outside the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office. Does this sound like someone who has a grudge against him?

I had nothing to do with the Nancy Smith case. I even knew him when he was a Lorain Police Officer. Whatever happened in this situation, I had nothing to do with it.

Not only did I hire Dennis Will as the Administrative Personnel Officer, but I was fortunate to find an attorney who knew the personnel side of the law. Tony Cillo works with the Lorain County Drug Task Force assisting with daily operations, handling search warrants, drug laws, assisting with the Human Trafficking Task Force, etc. He was hired as Deputy Director to make recommendations on issues and help write them.

Law Enforcement Director Robert Vansant is presiding over this criminal investigation into possible violations of law by current Prosecutor Tomlinson and Chief of Staff James Burge. Both state that they welcome the investigation but are trying to stop our investigation at every step. If they haven’t done anything wrong, there’s nothing to worry about.

I have been requesting a special prosecutor and a special grand jury since last March, and

This Prosecutor refused to allow this to happen and has tried to stop our investigation since March 2024.

Phil R. Stammetti

Lorain County Sheriff

WHAT DOES CILLO SAY?

Challenger Tony Cillo also gave an interview to News 5. He said he had no influence over the criminal investigation into his opponent.

“I think they misunderstood cause and effect,” he said. “I’m running because of what they did, I’m not trying to use what they did to gain an advantage.”

News 5

He said the charges his opponent faces are serious enough to damage the district’s reputation.

“These are like capital crimes for a lawyer. This is like perjury. “These are some of the worst things you can do as a lawyer, let alone a prosecutor,” he said.

Prior to his current position with the Sheriff’s Office and a long stint with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, Cillo had a long career as an assistant prosecutor with the Lorain County Prosecutor’s Office. This role extended into the beginning of Tomlinson’s tenure.

“I didn’t like the way things were probably going, so I went off to find another job,” he said, explaining that there was tension with his chief of staff, James Burge, and that he felt the office culture was going downhill.

Cillo, who is running on the Republican ticket, has been criticized for switching parties over the years. Voter records show he voted in 5 democratic primaries between 2012 and 2022. He claims he switched to vote against Burge’s campaign for district judge.

“There was no one running on the other side at the time. So my vote in the primary would have been nothing,” he said. “I only wanted to run for one party, and that was Republican. That’s what the records show.”

He told News 5 his current concern is how the accusations against Tomlinson and Burge could tarnish the office’s image.

“The purpose of this office is to ensure public trust. If the public does not trust the prosecutor’s office, you will lose people. “You will lose jurors, and this will hurt you in the trial,” he said.

THE FUTURE OF THE PROSECUTION OFFICE

Cillo believes that his experience in the prosecutor’s office will put him in a position to shape his future. He has promised to offer fewer plea deals to violent criminals if elected and to work with current and future staff to place them in positions that will make the most use of their abilities.

Tomlinson called the lowering of crime statistics in Lorain County a success. He believes his dual experience as a defense attorney and district attorney has given him a valuable perspective and that his administration has fostered better communication between county agencies and departments.

Both men point out their records and character and hope voters will notice both.

“What I really want them to focus on is who is producing results for them. And I believe my administration is doing exactly that,” Tomlinson said.

“My desire is to do one thing: to repair that office and make it a place where people can be proud again,” Cillo said.

Whoever wins the prosecutor race will serve for 4 years.