Rebecca C. Lutzko United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio
A former deputy clerk at the City of East Cleveland Municipal Court has been sentenced for embezzling nearly $38,000 in cash fees over an 11-year period. Orlando Chappell, 61, received a sentence of five years of probation and must pay $37,931.47 in restitution following his guilty plea to Federal Program Theft in August 2025. U.S. District Judge John R. Adams issued the sentence.
Chappell worked as a deputy clerk from 2012 to 2023, where his duties included collecting fines and fees related to court operations and assisting landlords with eviction filings. Landlords paid required fees directly to the municipal court, often in cash, which Chappell was responsible for recording in the court’s digital financial management system.
According to his plea agreement, Chappell admitted that instead of properly recording these transactions, he kept the cash for himself. The total amount embezzled reached $37,931.47.
Because East Cleveland received federal grants and assistance during Chappell’s employment period, the case qualified for prosecution under federal law.
"This case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Brydle for the Northern District of Ohio."
