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Well known and beloved Reverend Sam Ciccolini of Akron was sentenced to just one day in jail for income tax and bank-related fraud. Furthermore, he was fined $350,000 and ordered to repay a whopping $3.5 million to Interval Brotherhood Home Foundation, as Judge James Gwin thinks that’s about as much as he swindled and embezzled over the years. He was also given three years probation.

Ciccolini amassed around $5 million in a trust fund  over time, according to court documents. He pleaded guilty in June to structuring financial transactions to evade reporting requirements and making a false tax return.

Ciccolini clains his intentions were “good.”

To put in perspective how short of a jail sentence he’s really getting, the average sentence for crimes of this magnitude is 22.4 months, according to Ohio.com.

The Reverend conned the system by making deposits less than what is required for banks to report as possible laundering. Over $1 million was deposited in Akron banks from April to June 2003, over the course of 139 different transactions.

His tax returns also reflect his dishonesty – he claimed he made just over $100,000 when in actuality, he made $407,062. For lack of better phrasing, he got off easy, as he admitted to cheating on previous years’ taxes. He got more than $1 million in personal gifts over his career, and to add to the litany of incriminating things, lied to foundations by billing them for construction work and things that were donated to them. He falsified invoices and records, and admitted to hoarding cash in his room at Immaculate Conception church in Akron.

He avoided a charge of theft by repaying the stolen and wrongfully charged funds.

The self-proclaimed humble priest from Akron’s credibility is no doubt in question, even though he is well known for his benevolence. He was honored by Pope John Paul II in 2000 for his work and even  celebrated Mass with him at the Vatican. Although he was known as a compassionate, loving man in Akron, the community has questions and is left in shock at his actions.

Even in light of these charges, he is on administrative leave from his work, and still receives pay and benefits. The Catholic Diocese of Cleveland is reviewing his future in regards to priesthood.

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Testimony commences today in the murder trial of a man who killed a parking lot attendant last spring.

Matthew Warmus of Green, 25, is accused of murdering the man during a dispute over parking prices before a Cleveland Cavaliers game April 9. Warmus admits to the shooting, but says his life was in danger.

According to Ohio.com, Warmus claims the man was overcharging him and began verbally quarreling. The two engaged in a shoving match which witnesses say ended up with Warmus in a headlock, submitting to the attendant.

Upon being released from the lock, Warmus stormed to his car and grabbed a Glock 27. He ordered the attendant to lay on the ground and proceeded to shoot him three times, killing him with a bullet to the head.

The woman that was with Warmus during the shooting is scheduled to testify today. It is now up to witnesses and their testimonies to prove whether or not the shooting was done in self defense, or out of sheer pride. Under Ohio law, a person who uses self-defense to mitigate a murder charge must show through testimony that he had a bona fide belief of imminent danger of death or serious bodily harm and that the only means of escaping the situation was through deadly force. They must also prove they didn’t start the incident and that retreating wasn’t an option.

The prosecution will also make light of the level of THC in Warmus’ blood – THC being a main ingredient of marijuana. One drug expert claims the levels would have been enough to put him in a “THC psychosis.”

If sentenced by the the Cuyahoga County jury, Warmus faces life in prison

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