TOLEDO, Ohio — On Wednesday morning, government attorneys continued to make their case that former Toledo city councilman Gary Johnson accepted bribes in exchange for positive votes on proposed Internet cafes.
Johnson is charged with two counts of extortion under color of official right, with the prosecution saying he accepted a $1,000 check in January 2020 and $2,000 in cash in April 2020.
FBI informant Nabil Shaheen was on the stand all morning. He began working for the FBI in 2018 after being ensnared in a bribery scheme that involved former council members Yvonne Harper, Tyrone Riley and Larry Sykes.
After he was implicated in the money-for-votes scheme, he agreed to cooperate with the FBI. On the stand, he admitted that he hopes his cooperation results in him receiving no jail term for his involvement.
In January 2020, Shaheen was wearing a wire when he went to council offices to talk to Harper. While there, Johnson pulled him into his office to discuss getting help in finding places for his campaign signs. At the time, Johnson was a council member but running for Lucas County sheriff. Shaheen, who owned several local businesses, was the president of the Midwestern Retailers Association.
During that conversation, Shaheen mentioned that he had a special use permit vote scheduled for a proposed internet cafe on Central Avenue. During testimony, it was learned that the request was nothing more than an effort to catch council members accepting bribes. There was no plan to open a business at that location.
Throughout the morning, government attorneys played recordings of phone calls and meetings between Shaheen and Johnson. In January, Shaheen provided Johnson a check for $1,000, made out to his campaign. It was written from the account of fellow local businessman Ali Mahmoud. Shaheed claimed he could not be seen supporting a sheriff's candidate for fear of upsetting the other candidates.
At one point that check bounced and another check was produced. But Johnson did support the Central Avenue proposal, which passed easily.
In April, Johnson approached Shaheen about helping him raise $2,000 for an online ad campaign days before the delayed primary. On the call, Shaheen told Johnson he had to get back to him because his attorney was calling him. In fact, he wasn't. Instead, Shaheen called his FBI handlers to ask what he should do. He was told to give Johnson the money.
He contributed $1,000 and Mahmoud, who had an upcoming vote on his proposed Secor Road internet cafe, donated another $1,000. That proposal was voted down and a recording captured Johnson calling Shaheen to explain that people lined up behind district council member Sam Melden.
In opening statements on Monday, the jury was told that Johnson learned that the cash exceeded allowable campaign limits and that he stuffed the money in his drawer, and did not have time to return it before he was arrested.
Johnson's defense is that he believed the donations were campaign donations, not bribes.
Testimony continues Thursday.