© 2024 WYSO
Our Community. Our Nation. Our World.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Clayton Luckie Pleads Guilty In Federal Corruption Probe

(from left) FBI special agent Joseph Deters, U.S. Attorney Benjamin Glassman, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost
Jerry Kenney
/
WYSO
FBI special agent Joseph Deters, U.S. Attorney Benjamin Glassman, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost

One of four men indicted on federal corruption charges has pled guilty. Former State Rep. Clayton Luckie entered his guilty plea to a single count of mail fraud, though his indictment under an ongoing Department of Justice investigation into alleged public corruption in the city of Dayton also included a felony count of wire fraud.

The investigation into the city’s handling of lucrative government contracts was revealed in April and has so far resulted in charges against four Dayton men, and officials say more charges are likely.

Clayton Luckie’s attorney Aaron Durden says his client’s case isn’t linked to the other indictments in the ongoing federal corruption probe.

"His case is disassociated with any of the other current cases, nor is it expected that he's to participate in anything else in the future. He had to stand for his own issues and we hope when the sentencing occurs it will be for his actions only and not associated with anyone else," Durden says. 

This isn’t the former Democratic state representative’s first brush with the courts.

In early 2013, Luckie entered plea deals on nine felony and misdemeanor charges involving political corruption, misuse of campaign funds and theft in office.

Luckie wants to put the government’s current allegations of devising a fraudulent scheme to help disadvantaged businesses behind him, Durden says.

"He is industrious, he continues to work" he says. "He has recovered from his prior mishap and has restarted his life. And this seems to be a bump in the road. And we acknowledge that and that's why we saw an earlier resolution of this matter. Keep in mind this occurred three years ago."

In a statement, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Ben Glassman called Luckie’s plea, “another step in the legal process.”

Glassman declined to comment further on the department’s ongoing investigation.

Luckie was charged in late April. Also indicted were former City Commissioner Joey D. Williams, RoShawn Winburn with the city of Dayton’s Human Relations Council, and Dayton businessman Brian Higgins.

All three have entered pleas of not guilty.

For his part, Luckie faces up to 20 years behind bars. He remains free on bond until sentencing in November.

Jess Mador comes to WYSO from Knoxville NPR-station WUOT, where she created an interactive multimedia health storytelling project called TruckBeat, one of 15 projects around the country participating in AIR's Localore: #Finding America initiative. Before TruckBeat, Jess was an independent public radio journalist based in Minneapolis. She’s also worked as a staff reporter and producer at Minnesota Public Radio in the Twin Cities, and produced audio, video and web stories for a variety of other news outlets, including NPR News, APM, and PBS television stations. She has a Master's degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in New York. She loves making documentaries and telling stories at the intersection of journalism, digital and social media.
Jerry began volunteering at WYSO in 1991 and hosting Sunday night's Alpha Rhythms in 1992. He joined the YSO staff in 2007 as Morning Edition Host, then All Things Considered. He's hosted Sunday morning's WYSO Weekend since 2008 and produced several radio dramas and specials . In 2009 Jerry received the Best Feature award from Public Radio News Directors Inc., and was named the 2023 winner of the Ohio Associated Press Media Editors Best Anchor/News Host award. His current, heart-felt projects include the occasional series Bulletin Board Diaries, which focuses on local, old-school advertisers and small business owners. He has also returned as the co-host Alpha Rhythms.
Related Content