CLEVELAND, Ohio - A Niles, Ohio, car dealer who pleaded guilty in a federal bribery conspiracy case is asking a U.S. District Court judge to impose a sentence at the low end of federal guidelines.

Brian Votino’s public defender filed a sentencing memorandum on Wednesday, ahead of his sentencing hearing scheduled for Oct. 23 before a federal judge.

Votino, 52, was charged in September 2024 alongside former Warren municipal prosecutor Nicholas Graham in a scheme where Graham agreed to help Votino with pending criminal cases in exchange for auto repair work.

Votino pleaded guilty on July 16 to one count of conspiracy . In exchange for his plea, the government intends to move to dismiss the remaining charges of Honest Services Wire Fraud and Hobbs Act Extortion .

The plea agreement

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