Former mayor, local contractor’s federal trial moved to November

Steve Rauch (seated) confers with his attorneys prior to an earlier court appearance. MARSHALL GORBY/STAFF

Steve Rauch (seated) confers with his attorneys prior to an earlier court appearance. MARSHALL GORBY/STAFF

The trial of indicted Germantown businessman Steve R. Rauch and former Trotwood Mayor Joyce Sutton Cameron was continued to November by U.S. District Court Judge Thomas M. Rose on Thursday.

Attorneys for Rauch and Cameron asked that the case be declared a "complex case" due to voluminous evidence, including hundreds of hours of audio tape. They had beem scheduled for a March 2 trial.

Sutton Cameron, 71, and co-defendant Rauch, 61, pleaded not guilty after being indicted last year along with James Cameron, 81, who is Cameron's husband and employed by her Green Star Trucking. He has not yet appeared in court.

RELATED: Three new indictments expand Dayton public corruption probe

Rauch owns Steve Rauch Inc., SRI and Rauch Trucking. He and the Camerons were each indicted on one of count conspiracy to commit mail fraud and six counts mail fraud, all felonies.

Rauch and Sutton Cameron both declined comment about their cases, and she also would not comment on why her husband has not appeared in court. Prosecutors have also declined comment on that.

Former Trotwood Mayor Joyce Sutton Cameron. She was mayor from March 2010 to Jan. 2, 2016. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CITY OF TROTWOOD.

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RELATED: State reviews status of trucking company after corruption indictment

The indictment alleges that Rauch used Green Star’s minority-owned status to win demolition contracts from the city of Dayton and other government entities between 2012 and 2014, years that Sutton Cameron was Trotwood mayor.

Rauch and the Camerons are accused of producing false documentation to make it appear Green Star had done work that Rauch had done, and Rauch is accused of paying them a fee or forgiving debt rather than paying them the amount called for in the contract, according to the indictment.

RELATED: Ex-city of Dayton employee pleads guilty to soliciting a bribe

Seven people were indicted in the federal investigation. Three — former Dayton City Commissioner Joey D. Williams, former State Rep. Clayton Luckie and former Dayton city employee RoShawn Winburn — were convicted after pleading guilty. Dayton businessman Brian Higgins pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.

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