The Ohio Supreme Court suspended the law license of Nick Graham of Poland, a former Warren city assistant prosecutor convicted of conspiracy in an alleged bribery scheme.

Chief Justice Sharon L. Kennedy ordered Graham “suspended from the practice of law for an interim period” and “further ordered that this matter is referred to the disciplinary counsel for investigation and the commencement of disciplinary proceedings.”

Graham pleaded guilty Aug. 13 in federal court to conspiracy with charges of wire fraud and extortion dismissed as part of a plea agreement.

Graham was sentenced Nov. 19 by Judge Solomon Oliver Jr. of the U.S. District Court’s Northern District of Ohio to three years of probation with the first five months served at his home with electronic monitoring as well as a $2,500 fine.

Brian Votino, a co-defendant, took the same plea and was sentenced to three years of probation with the first 60 days served at his home.

David Betras, Graham’s attorney, filed a motion Monday asking that his client have his home detention sentence terminated early.

Betras wrote: “The defendant has less than 30 days remaining of home detention and has completed all 120 hours required of community service. The defendant has followed all the rules, regulations and requirements as set forth on probation.”

The Sept. 19, 2024, indictment alleged Graham used his job in the Warren prosecutor’s office to help Votino with his criminal cases in exchange for vehicle parts and repairs between October 2019 until at least January 2020. Votino owned an auto dealership and repair shop in Niles and had faced charges in Warren Municipal Court — one for felony drug possession and another for operating a vehicle impaired.

Federal prosecutors said Graham, who owned a convenience store in Niles, reduced Votino’s drug charge from a fifth-degree felony to a first-degree misdemeanor and changed the OVI to reckless operation.

Graham pushed for lighter sentences, like suspended time and probation for Votino in exchange for soliciting and accepting free auto parts and repairs, according to federal prosecutors.

To hide their deal, prosecutors said the two men went through a third person, who wasn’t indicted, using coded words in messages, and Votino created fake bills to make the repairs look normal.

Graham had worked as an assistant city prosecutor for more than two decades, before being fired in September 2022 by city Law Director Enzo Cantalamessa.