A day after former Youngstown businessman J.J. Cafaro was thrown in jail, his attorney filed paperwork to get him out in time for the weekend.
After Cafaro pleaded guilty Wednesday to making a materially false statement, U.S. Federal Judge John Adams ordered him jailed without bond for failing to provide the court financial information needed to set one. While Cafaro's attorney, Ralph Cascarilla, argued attempts were made to cooperate, a member of the federal prosecution team had disputed the claim.
Cafaro was to be held at least until a detention hearing set for Monday morning.
Cascarilla on Thursday filed a motion to move the hearing to Friday, saying that the needed information has since been tendered. However, officials with the U.S. Attorney's office said as of late Thursday afternoon, there had been no decision made on the motion.
In the meantime, Cafaro, early Thursday, was moved from Summit County Jail to the Northeast Ohio Correctional Center in Youngstown.
His detention hearing is tentatively set for 11:30 a.m. Monday and his trial is set for June 8.
The charge against Cafaro stems from U.S. Attorney's Office's claims he broke federal election law in 2004. Investigators said he caused an official within his daughter's campaign committee to file with the FEC a quarterly report that falsely stated he contributed only $2,000 to her general election campaign when he actually gave $10,000.
The maximum individual contribution allowed by law to federal candidates is $2,000 for the general election and $2,000 for the primary election. Capri Cafaro has said she did not have knowledge that the action occurred and is not being charged.
The accusations are related to her failed 2004 bid for the 14th U.S. Congressional District when she ran against Steve LaTourette.
This is not the first criminal proceeding against J.J. Cafaro. In 2002, he pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge related to a bribe given to then-congressman James Traficant. He was sentenced to 15 months of probation. In that case, Cafaro admitted that he bribed Traficant to help a company in which Capri Cafaro was an executive.
Cafaro and his brother, Anthony, abruptly retired in December as executives of the Cafaro Company.
