One of several men facing charges in connection with a phony sports autograph ring based in Ohio has pleaded guilty for the second time.
WYTV in Youngstown reports that Jason Moore, who recently withdrew a guilty plea he agreed to more than a year ago, has changed his mind again.
Moore was in court Monday and is expected to be sentenced early next year.
The Mahoning County Prosector’s Office says Moore was part of a group of people who had an involvement in creating and selling fake autographed memorabilia. Investigators say their scheme, conducted through eBay, netted over $2 million over five years. Complaints from buyers resulted in an investigation that has already resulted in several guilty pleas. The man accused of masterminding the operation, Clifton Panezich, has thus far opted to fight the charges and is scheduled to go on trial in January.
Last fall, Moore had pleaded guilty to a single count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity. He withdrew his plea about a year later, telling a judge he had been misled about what was happening and was innocent of the charges. He was then indicated on additional charges.
“When he was indicted and he saw the full force of our case against him, he realized that he had made a bad choice in withdrawing his guilty plea,” Mahoning County Assistant Prosecutor Marty Desmond told the TV station.
Five men and Panezich’s mother have already pleaded guilty to their roles in the case, which prosecutors claim cheated 25,000 people out of more than $2 million. The items were sold online, complete with phony certificates of authenticity. Those six people had lesser roles in the scheme, according to investigators.
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