Former Trumbull JFS director seeks treatment to avoid drug felony

WARREN — Tom Mahoney, the former director of the Trumbull County Department of Job and Family Services, was fired in March for allegedly buying cocaine from an employee. He appeared in Common Pleas Court Friday to ask that he be allowed to receive treatment for his drug addiction in order to avoid being convicted of a felony charge.

Officials refused to disclose at the time of Mahoney’s firing March 23 what led to the move, but it occurred five days after Kenneth Greep, 46, of Pleasant Valley Road in Niles, was arrested while on the job at JFS for alledgedly selling cocaine.

Mahoney, 55, of Oakwood Street in Girard, now faces a charge of cocaine possession, a fifth-degree felony punishable by up to 12 months in prison.

But the procedure outlined in court Friday would allow Mahoney to receive treatment for about one year if the Trumbull County Adult Probation Department deems him a qualified candidate for the program.

If Mahoney completes the program, the charge would be dismissed, said Chris Becker, an assistant county prosecutor.

Documents Becker released Friday to the media indicate that Mahoney was fired from his job paying $107,344 per year for buying drugs from Greep, allowing Greep to remain on the JFS payroll despite knowing that Greep was selling drugs and for lying when questioned by Trumbull County sheriff’s deputies about Greep’s drug activities.