AKRON, Ohio (WOIO) – An investigation by 19 Investigates has uncovered troubling details about former Summit County Sheriff’s deputy Marcello Thomas, who has been charged with stealing thousands of dollars in overtime pay. Notably, Thomas had two prior arrests for theft before he was hired by the Sheriff’s Office.
Thomas was employed by the Summit County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) starting in September 2021 as a deputy at the jail. Recently, he was indicted by a grand jury on 12 felony counts for allegedly stealing over 380 hours of overtime that he did not work, amounting to $21,157.23, between December 2023 and May 2024.
The investigation into Thomas’s background revealed his history of theft. In July 2013, while employed at North Coast Auto in Bedford, he was caught on surveillance footage stealing his manager’s iPhone, which was later found at his home. After failing to return the phone upon request, Thomas was charged with theft but ultimately pled “no contest” to a lesser charge of disorderly conduct.
In April 2014, he faced another theft charge for stealing $802 from Sprint Wireless in Independence. He pled “no contest” to unauthorized use of property, resulting in a 30-day jail sentence with time suspended, along with community service, probation, and restitution.
In 2017, Thomas violated his probation and was sentenced to an additional 10 days in jail.
19 Investigates reached out to SCSO regarding whether a background check was conducted on Thomas prior to his hiring but have yet to receive a response. Thomas, when contacted by phone, declined to comment on the allegations against him.
Currently, he faces 12 felony counts, including one for Theft in Office and 10 for Tampering with Records. He has pleaded “not guilty” to all charges, with his second pretrial hearing scheduled for November 5 in the Summit County Court of Common Pleas.
