CLEVELAND -
The first three defendants to appear in court in the Ohio Department of Transportation corruption scandal entered not guilty pleas Friday as prosecutors laid out the framework of a massive case that could end up with charges against up to 40 people.
Prosecutors say two men who worked for ODOT, William Werman and Joseph Jedrzejek, along with former ODOT vendor, Jeffrey Bauer, entered not guilty pleas to a variety of corruption charges.
"These individuals are part of the wide-ranging corruption scandal within ODOT," says Paul Soucie, the assistant county prosecutor in charge of the case. "Contracts were steered, bribes were paid, favors were done and benefits were provided to ODOT employees."
The allegations first came to light last year in a blistering report by the Ohio Inspector General.
In essence, the report indicated that vendors would bribe state officials in exchange for receiving state contracts to do work for the ODOT in and around Cleveland.
The bribes included the now infamous "ODOT Boat Days," where contractors allegedly took ODOT employees on boat trips on Lake Erie that included strippers. The I-Team last year broadcast pictures from the Boat Days.
Prosecutors say these three defendants, along with five others, are expected to cooperate as the case progresses against former higher-ranking officials at ODOT.
Prosecutors say two men who worked for ODOT, William Werman and Joseph Jedrzejek, along with former ODOT vendor, Jeffrey Bauer, entered not guilty pleas to a variety of corruption charges.
"These individuals are part of the wide-ranging corruption scandal within ODOT," says Paul Soucie, the assistant county prosecutor in charge of the case. "Contracts were steered, bribes were paid, favors were done and benefits were provided to ODOT employees."
The allegations first came to light last year in a blistering report by the Ohio Inspector General.
In essence, the report indicated that vendors would bribe state officials in exchange for receiving state contracts to do work for the ODOT in and around Cleveland.
The bribes included the now infamous "ODOT Boat Days," where contractors allegedly took ODOT employees on boat trips on Lake Erie that included strippers. The I-Team last year broadcast pictures from the Boat Days.
Prosecutors say these three defendants, along with five others, are expected to cooperate as the case progresses against former higher-ranking officials at ODOT.
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