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Mike Pitman reports about Butler County, Ohio, politics, county government, countywide issues and Butler County people just like you for Cox Ohio Publishing (including the Hamilton JournalNews, Middletown Journal and several weekly papers in Butler County). He wants your suggestions and questions for more news stories. Leave a comment for him here or e-mail Mike at mpitman@coxohio.com.

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Home > Blogs > Butler County News and Issues > Archives > 2010 > January > 06 > Entry

Ruscigno sentencing today

By Josh Sweigart | Wednesday, January 6, 2010, 08:28 AM

Former Butler County GOP operative and husband of failed commission candidate Rawnica Dillingham is due in federal court today for sentencing on tax charges.

Here is the background from a former story:

Hamilton nightclub owner and former GOP politico Joe Ruscigno pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday, April 29, to tax obstruction charges.

Ruscigno admitted to fudging the books of West Chester Twp.-based court reporting business Fitch Reporting Inc., to justify lowering weekly payments of back taxes to the IRS.

The statement of facts to which Ruscigno pleaded guilty said he submitted a false profit and loss statement to the IRS in 2007. Ruscigno owned the company with his ex-wife, Jane Fitch, who was not named in the charges.

Ruscigno also signed a plea agreement offering him the possibility of a reduced sentence if he pleads guilty and cooperates with law enforcement “regarding his activities and those of others in relation to the offense charged…and all other criminal activity of which he is aware,” including, “participating in covert law enforcement activities.”

The charges against him carry a maximum penalty of three years in prison, one year of supervised release, a $250,000 fine and a $100 assessment.

A sentencing hearing was scheduled for Aug. 25. It was originally set for Aug. 5, but U.S. Judge Herman Weber moved the date when Ruscigno said that was his and wife Rawnica Dillingham’s wedding anniversary.

The two own V’s Nightclub in Hamilton, which may lose its liquor license after police raided the business and claim exotic dancers there were violating the city’s adult entertainment ordinance.

The two used to be active in Butler County Republican Party politics, with Ruscigno serving as party finance chairman.

But they had a falling out with the party, culminating in a failed run by Dillingham for county commissioner in the GOP primary last year without party endorsement.

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