EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio (WJW) – The mayor of East Cleveland and a city councilman appeared in court Friday for their arraignment on corruption charges.

The FOX 8 I-Team was the first to report that Mayor Brandon King and East Cleveland Councilman Ernest Smith were charged in early October.

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The corruption charges against King include two counts of theft in office, four counts of having an unlawful interest in a public contract, four counts of representation by a public officer or employee, one count of filing a false disclosure statement and a charge of requesting improper compensation.

According to prosecutors, between January 1, 2019 and October 2, 2024, King allegedly “authorized a public contract and payments through the city of East Cleveland to companies owned by King and his family members.”

Prosecutors said he authorized the lease of office space in a building owned by King Management Group Limited to the city’s domestic violence department for more than $14,100 a year.

The city of East Cleveland purchased more than $5,800 worth of cleaning supplies from American Merchandising Service, which is also owned by King, between March 16, 2019 and February 22, 2022, according to prosecutors.

Additionally, prosecutors allege that King improperly provided a city car to former East Cleveland Councilman Ernest Smith between January 1, 2018 and March 31, 2022.

“King also provided Smith with city of East Cleveland gas cards to purchase vehicle fuel. While Smith had the vehicle, he used two gas cards to purchase $6,791 of gas at the expense of the city of East Cleveland,” prosecutors said in the release.

Smith was charged with several counts, including one count of theft in office, two counts of theft, one count of soliciting improper compensation and one count of improper use of credit cards.

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“Mayor Brandon King demonstrated complete disregard and disdain for the rule of law,” prosecutor Michael O’Malley is quoted as saying in a news release. “The citizens of East Cleveland deserve better. “The investigation continues.”

In court Friday, Mayor King pleaded not guilty and was held on $5,000 bail.

Smith also pleaded not guilty and was held on $5,000 bail.

His next court date has not been set.

This comes months after prosecutors indicted several East Cleveland police officers on a wide variety of corruption-related charges.

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