TOLEDO, Ohio — Former Toledo City Councilman Gary Johnson was found guilty on one federal bribery charge Wednesday -- and not guilty on another -- in federal court for accepting money in exchange for votes.
The jury reached its decision shortly before 1:30 p.m. and the verdict was read just after 2. Jurors began deliberating Monday and spent about 17 hours making their decision.
A handwritten note was given to Judge Jeffrey Helmick saying the jury was delivering its decision with "heavy hearts." Defense attorney Richard Kerger said he has never seen anything like it in 50 years.
Johnson was charged with two counts of extortion under the Hobbs Act. He was accused of accepting two bribes, totaling $3,000, in exchange for positive votes on proposed Internet cafes.
The jury in the federal corruption case against Johnson was unable to reach a verdict after a second day of deliberations Tuesday. The jury resumed deliberations Wednesday at 9 a.m.
Judge Jeffrey Helmick said the jury was deadlocked and unable to reach a decision on one or more charges but did not provide further explanation on the jury's disagreement. He instructed the jury to continue deliberating.
Following four days of testimony, the case against the former councilman wrapped up with closing statements Monday.
Johnson is one of four Toledo City Council members arrested in 2020 and charged in the federal corruption case. The three other defendants -- former council members Tyrone Riley, Larry Sykes and Yvonne Harper -- pleaded guilty in December to accepting bribes during their time in office in return for legislative support, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
They will be sentenced later this month.
Their arrests in 2020 came after an FBI investigation that led authorities to accuse the elected leaders of taking bribes in exchange for votes on business before city council. Federal investigators claim tens of thousands of dollars changed hands in the scandal.
Johnson took the stand in his own defense last week, saying he believed the payments he received were campaign contributions.
In December, Riley and Sykes pleaded guilty to one count of Hobbs Act extortion under official color of right, which means a public official wrongfully took money or another valuable not owed to them or their office.
Harper pleaded guilty to one count of Hobbs Act conspiracy. Riley, Sykes and Harper were scheduled to be sentenced in June, but that has been postponed. The charges the three face all carry up to 20 years in prison, up to $250,000 in fines and up to three years of supervised release.
Johnson is also accused of violating the Hobbs Act.
Local attorney Keith Mitchell was also charged in the case in 2020, but he died in 2021 before facing trial. He was accused of accepting bribes on Harper's behalf.
In May, local businessman Nabil Shaheen pleaded guilty to facilitating a bribe between Riley and a businessman. That bribe involved a favorable zoning vote on a planned internet cafe.
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