Just weeks after his promotion, he was arrested on April 30. Prosecutors allege he took bribes in exchange for sharing confidential information about upcoming projects and not fully reviewing the small, disadvantaged, minority or woman-owned business certifications of people and companies, the indictment says.
RELATED: FEDERAL INVESTIGATION: Who is RoShawn Winburn?
The city of Dayton accused Winburn of violating city rules involving conduct unbecoming an employee, incompetence and/or neglect of duty related to the allegations in the federal indictment, according to city documents obtained this week by the Dayton Daily News.
Winburn pleaded not guilty to the city’s civil service charges in a May 3 hearing before Kenneth Couch, the director of human resources, city documents say. Couch then found Winburn guilty and said he should be fired effective immediately, city documents say. Winburn has appealed.
His discharge order was signed by Deputy City Manager Joe Parlette for City Manager Shelley Dickstein and by Brent L. McKenzie, deputy director of human resources, for Erica Fields, director of the city’s Human Relations Council department where Winburn worked.
RELATED: Dayton minority biz center open after federal corruption charges
He also pleaded not guilty to the federal charges and is awaiting trial. His attorney, David Greer, declined comment and said Winburn, a former Huber Heights city council member, also would not comment.
Winburn was one of four men whose indictments were announced on April 30 by Benjamin Glassman, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, in an ongoing investigation of alleged corruption in Dayton.
RELATED: Ex-Dayton commissioner, state lawmaker arrested; more arrests coming, feds say
Also indicted were former Dayton City Commissioner Joey D. Williams, 53; Dayton businessman Brian Higgins, 48; and former state Rep. Clayton Luckie, 56.
Luckie, who served 10 years on the Dayton Board of Education and seven years in the Ohio House, pleaded guilty July 2 to one federal count of mail fraud. He will be sentenced in U.S. District Court on Nov. 15.
Williams, also a former Dayton school board member, served on the city commission from 2002 to 2018. He is accused of accepting bribes to help a company get city contracts. Williams allegedly used his influence to help an unidentified individual win city and CityWide Development Corp. contracts in return for more than $50,000 in free benefits, including cash payments and construction work, the federal indictment alleges. Williams pleaded not guilty
Higgins pleaded not guilty to mail fraud and wire fraud after being accused of submitting a fraudulent insurance claim related to a leaky fish tank in his home.
RELATED: The complicated history of Dayton man charged in corruption investigation
STAYING WITH THE STORY
The Dayton Daily News first broke the news about a federal investigation into corruption in Dayton. The newspaper will continue to dig into this important story to find out what's really going on. If you have tips or any information on this investigation, please call or email Josh Sweigart at 937-328-0374 or josh.sweigart@coxinc.com or Lynn Hulsey at 937-2257455 or lynn.hulsey@coxinc.com.
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