Director gets 7 years in prison for fraud, theft

A Whitehall man was sentenced Thursday to seven years in prison and ordered to pay nearly $25,000 in restitution for a series of crimes related to his proposal to create a residential treatment center for recovering alcoholics and drug addicts on Columbus’ Near East Side.

Johnny R. Marcum, 47, of Pierce Avenue, pleaded guilty last month to three counts of identity fraud, four counts of passing bad checks, one count of forgery, two counts of theft and one count of tampering with records.

Although nearly all of the crimes are fourth- or fifth-degree felonies, which typically lead to probation, Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Guy Reece said Marcum’s lengthy history of such crimes and his decision to prey upon those who came to him for help demanded a prison sentence.

Marcum was the director for Central Ohio Sober Living, which was supposed to open in the former Livingston Theater, 1567 E. Livingston Ave., in November 2015, but never did. Some people who lived in the area opposed the project, saying the neighborhood already had enough recovery centers.

Marcum used personal financial information from two of the group’s clients to transfer money into his account and open a checking account and get a credit card. He then spent $4,000 on fitness equipment, $4,000 on a copier and $700 at a mattress company, among other purchases, investigators said. He also bounced checks to contractors.

The judge ordered restitution be paid to a list of individuals and businesses.

Assistant Prosecutor Daniel Lenert argued for “a substantial prison sentence,” saying that Marcum had pleaded guilty to economic crimes in nine previous felony cases and been to prison three times.

“Every time he’s been on probation, he’s been revoked and sent to prison,” Lenert said.

Marcum, who was represented by defense attorney Steven Larson, read a lengthy statement in court, blaming his actions on drug and alcohol addictions and “a criminal addiction.”