Are Cuyahoga County & Mike Summers Hiring Criminals to Work in Our Neighborhoods?
Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2017 12:54 pm
Note: Please do not move this post to the land bank thread. This post does not relate to the land bank thread, as we are discussing the demolition contractors, not the demolitions or land banks themselves. This obviously relates to Lakewood because this particular contractor has done or is doing work in Lakewood.
Through the Cuyahoga Land Bank, I have acquired the names of some of the demolition contractors that have been going around town and plowing down homes in the city. This post will not be about the demolitions themselves, but about the companies and individuals that are doing the demolition.
In 2012, a home at 1238 Ethel Ave. was demolished, presumably at the expense of the Cuyahoga Land Bank due to alleged nuisance conditions. According to the Cuyahoga Land Bank, the company awarded the demolition contract for this property was HEZ Enterprises Inc.
According to the Ohio Secretary of State Business Filing Portal, the registered agent for HEZ Enterprises Inc. is an “Edwin” from Cleveland. The registered incorporator for HEZ Enterprises is a “Hezron” , also from Cleveland. From what it appears, HEZ is a “family owned and operated company”. It would appear that Edwin and Hezron are brothers.
According to public records, to say that Hezron & Edwin have had some run-ins with the law would be a huge understatement. For example, this is what I easily found in a few minutes in regards to Edwin's past. Not all of these charges resulted in a conviction, although many of them did:
1995 – Charged with attempting to receive stolen property in Bedford Heights.
2004 – Charged with 91 total counts of forging identification cards, engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, possessing criminal tools, tampering with records, theft, securing records by deception, and unauthorized use of a computer system. A prosecutor refereed to his conduct in one document as a “criminal enterprise”. It appears that Edwin spent a few years in prison as a result of this.
2010 – Charged with illegal dumping.
2013 - Charged with misdemeanor assault.
2013 – Charged with felony assault.
Also according to public records, Hezron's past is even worse:
1989 – Charged with Robbery.
1990 – Charged with resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.
1990 – charged with forgery.
2000 – Charged with five counts of receiving stolen property.
2003 – Charged with falsification.
2003 – Charged with aggravated robbery.
2004 – Charged with open container.
2006 – Charged with criminal carry of a concealed weapon.
2008 – Charged with fleeing and eluding.
2008 – Charged with resisting arrest.
2008 – Charged with child endangering.
2008 – Charged with possessing criminal tools.
2008 – Charged with resisting arrest.
2008 – Charged with obstructing police.
2011 – Charged with having weapons under disability, as well as trafficking and possession of Cocaine.
2016 – Charged with domestic violence.
What kind of insanity is this?
I'm sure by now that the mayor's people are about ready to scream, yell, and blow fire out of their tops and bottoms about the fact that I dare post this public information. I am doing this partially as a public service. Citizens have a right to know who is working in the neighborhoods and what their backgrounds are. This information was extremely unsettling to me. Whether or not HEZ Enterprises is still doing work for City Hall or the county, I don't know. However, they have been bidding on projects with the Northeast Ohio Sewer District, which leads to me believe they are at least still in business and could be a contractor in our city again. Also, at the 9/25/15 meeting of the Cuyahoga Land Bank Board of Directors, it was noted that HEZ was still doing business with the Cuyahoga Land Bank as of that date. Also according to public records, HEZ does or has done business with the City of Cleveland, City of East Cleveland, and the Ohio EPA.
The question is: are City Hall and Cuyahoga Land Bank contractors vetted? Are basic background checks being conducted on the owners of these companies? These are only the backgrounds of two of the owners. While I'm sure there are probably good people working HEZ, I shudder to think at what the backgrounds may be of some of their workers. Also, these are not minor crimes we are talking about. Many of these are felonies, violent crimes and crimes involving weapons and drugs.
Also, it is worth noting that in 2013, the Cuyahoga Land Bank did another “property giveaway” on Avon Ave. on Cleveland's east side. The property was given away for $0 to guess who? One of the owners of HEZ Enterprises. Conflict of interest much?
Again, I'm sure by now the mayor's Deck patrol people are about ready to have a stroke. I am concerned about this and so should everyone else. Again, what in tarnation is our government thinking? What kind of insanity is this?
I guess if the mayor's Deck Pat-rol comes on and buries this immediately, we can assume that Summers does not want the citizens to see this.
Through the Cuyahoga Land Bank, I have acquired the names of some of the demolition contractors that have been going around town and plowing down homes in the city. This post will not be about the demolitions themselves, but about the companies and individuals that are doing the demolition.
In 2012, a home at 1238 Ethel Ave. was demolished, presumably at the expense of the Cuyahoga Land Bank due to alleged nuisance conditions. According to the Cuyahoga Land Bank, the company awarded the demolition contract for this property was HEZ Enterprises Inc.
According to the Ohio Secretary of State Business Filing Portal, the registered agent for HEZ Enterprises Inc. is an “Edwin” from Cleveland. The registered incorporator for HEZ Enterprises is a “Hezron” , also from Cleveland. From what it appears, HEZ is a “family owned and operated company”. It would appear that Edwin and Hezron are brothers.
According to public records, to say that Hezron & Edwin have had some run-ins with the law would be a huge understatement. For example, this is what I easily found in a few minutes in regards to Edwin's past. Not all of these charges resulted in a conviction, although many of them did:
1995 – Charged with attempting to receive stolen property in Bedford Heights.
2004 – Charged with 91 total counts of forging identification cards, engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, possessing criminal tools, tampering with records, theft, securing records by deception, and unauthorized use of a computer system. A prosecutor refereed to his conduct in one document as a “criminal enterprise”. It appears that Edwin spent a few years in prison as a result of this.
2010 – Charged with illegal dumping.
2013 - Charged with misdemeanor assault.
2013 – Charged with felony assault.
Also according to public records, Hezron's past is even worse:
1989 – Charged with Robbery.
1990 – Charged with resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.
1990 – charged with forgery.
2000 – Charged with five counts of receiving stolen property.
2003 – Charged with falsification.
2003 – Charged with aggravated robbery.
2004 – Charged with open container.
2006 – Charged with criminal carry of a concealed weapon.
2008 – Charged with fleeing and eluding.
2008 – Charged with resisting arrest.
2008 – Charged with child endangering.
2008 – Charged with possessing criminal tools.
2008 – Charged with resisting arrest.
2008 – Charged with obstructing police.
2011 – Charged with having weapons under disability, as well as trafficking and possession of Cocaine.
2016 – Charged with domestic violence.
What kind of insanity is this?
I'm sure by now that the mayor's people are about ready to scream, yell, and blow fire out of their tops and bottoms about the fact that I dare post this public information. I am doing this partially as a public service. Citizens have a right to know who is working in the neighborhoods and what their backgrounds are. This information was extremely unsettling to me. Whether or not HEZ Enterprises is still doing work for City Hall or the county, I don't know. However, they have been bidding on projects with the Northeast Ohio Sewer District, which leads to me believe they are at least still in business and could be a contractor in our city again. Also, at the 9/25/15 meeting of the Cuyahoga Land Bank Board of Directors, it was noted that HEZ was still doing business with the Cuyahoga Land Bank as of that date. Also according to public records, HEZ does or has done business with the City of Cleveland, City of East Cleveland, and the Ohio EPA.
The question is: are City Hall and Cuyahoga Land Bank contractors vetted? Are basic background checks being conducted on the owners of these companies? These are only the backgrounds of two of the owners. While I'm sure there are probably good people working HEZ, I shudder to think at what the backgrounds may be of some of their workers. Also, these are not minor crimes we are talking about. Many of these are felonies, violent crimes and crimes involving weapons and drugs.
Also, it is worth noting that in 2013, the Cuyahoga Land Bank did another “property giveaway” on Avon Ave. on Cleveland's east side. The property was given away for $0 to guess who? One of the owners of HEZ Enterprises. Conflict of interest much?
Again, I'm sure by now the mayor's Deck patrol people are about ready to have a stroke. I am concerned about this and so should everyone else. Again, what in tarnation is our government thinking? What kind of insanity is this?
I guess if the mayor's Deck Pat-rol comes on and buries this immediately, we can assume that Summers does not want the citizens to see this.