EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio — Orlando Chappell, 61, has been sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to pay $37,931.47 in restitution after pleading guilty to federal program theft, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Chappell, who worked at the East Cleveland Municipal Court between 2012 and 2023 in various deputy clerk roles, admitted to stealing cash payments made to the court. His duties included collecting fines and fees, as well as assisting landlords with eviction filings and processing forcible entry and detainer cases.
Landlords were required to pay court fees, and while cash payments were permitted, Chappell acknowledged that he failed to record certain transactions and instead kept the money. The total amount embezzled was $37,931.47.
Because the city of East Cleveland received federal funding during his employment, the case qualified as federal program theft and was prosecuted in U.S. District Court.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Cleveland Division and prosecuted by the Northern District of Ohio.
