Lorain Council approves parental responsibility, weapons violation enhancement laws

LORAIN — Families may be charged criminally if their minor children commit crimes in Lorain. City Council unanimously approved an ordinance to charge parents or guardians with a first-degree misdemeanor if their child breaks curfew or commits a crime. Under the legislation, families could be charged if they act "recklessly" in repeatedly allowing or enabling their children to commit crimes in the city. The maximum sentence for a first-degree misdemeanor is six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. Council also unanimously approved an increase in penalties for weapons violations to align with Ohio Revised Code, making them first-degree misdemeanors rather than minor misdemeanors. Both votes were made on the legislation's third reading, meaning there was no discussion period for Council members. Council discussed the proposed legislation at length during a Sept. 29 meeting of the Police, Fire and Legislative Committee. During that meeting, Law Director Pat Riley and Lorain police officers gave a presentation on violent crime in the city, including cases involving juveniles and young men. At the end of Monday's meeting, Councilman Tony Dimacchia, D-at Large, said the pieces of legislation passed Monday to curb gun violence are critical, even if they are unpopular. "Sometimes as legislators in this community, we've got to consider difficult and challenging pieces of legislation that sometimes aren't popular — but that's what leaders do," he said. After Council's vote, Mayor Jack Bradley said the legislation is another step in the city's efforts to address violent crime and youth crime in the city. "They're just one part of the process we're undertaking," he said, noting that process also includes increased investments in high-crime areas. He said the renewed effort to curb youth violence was triggered by an "accumulation of things." Lorain looked to other cities on how to address the issue and saw more were passing legislation similar to what went before — and passed — Council on Monday. Bradley said his administration has been working with the governor's office to receive help in addressing violent crime in Lorain. On Monday, city officials met with the Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center and received resources and supports, including access to forensic data, to help solve open narcotics cases in the city. "We want you to know that we're not going to rest," Bradley said to Council and the public. "We're not going to let bad guys take over our city and we're going to use every resource available. … If you want to do crime (in Lorain), we're going to come after you." He briefly touched on a shooting at Lakeview Park North on Saturday that left an 18-year-old dead. Isaac Brocco Rivera was shot and killed in a vehicle parked at Lakeview Beach around 6:45 p.m. Saturday. His death is being investigated as a homicide, according to police. Bradley asked Council members and others to not jump to conclusions about Brocco Rivera's death and instead let the investigation play out. He also used it as an example of the type of violence his administration hoped to address. 'The young man who died, we really feel sorry for him and his family," Bradley said. "... That's why it's so important to keep firearms out of the hands of people under the age of 21; they're just not responsible enough to have a firearm." Lorain police told The Chronicle on Monday there were no suspects in Brocco Rivera's shooting. Like Bradley, Dimacchia also referenced Brocco Rivera's death in his remarks. "That young man was going to take pictures for homecoming and that's what the result was," Dimacchia said. "It's is disgusting to me … regardless of what happened, there was a gun involved." He called for the city's support of its law enforcement, and increased resources and manpower to "stop the ridiculous violence that is killing our youth." Disruption Not far into Monday's Council meeting, Council President Joel Arredondo cleared Council chambers due to a disruption involving a Council candidate and another man in the audience. During a discussion about waiving engineering and other fees for the Lorain Port and Finance Authority's amphitheater project at Black River Landing, Aaron Knapp, a Republican running for the 6th Ward, and Garon Petty asked questions and made comments from the audience. Their comments elicited a response from Safety/Service Director Rey Carrion, who during the meeting addressed them directly asking, "Say something?" "Then why are we?" Knapp said, referencing the fees waived for the port's project. "You want to get an attitude — you work for me, Mr. Carrion." When Arredondo asked Knapp to quiet down, Knapp told him, "Your employee is addressing me." Carrion does not work for Arredondo. He serves at the pleasure of the mayor. Mary Springowski, D-at Large, called a point of order and asked the meeting be recessed. Once the meeting was recessed, Arredondo attempted to clear Council chambers, but Knapp and Petty refused to leave despite being asked to do so several times. Earlier this month, Petty pleaded no contest to disorderly conduct and had a trespassing charge dismissed stemming from an incident at a July 2024 Council meeting in which the vocal critic of Lorain's government yelled at Council Clerk Breanna Dull. As part of Petty's no contest plea, he is still able to file lawsuits against the city related to the case, including an ongoing defamation lawsuit he previously filed against Dull. While members of Council and the public waited in the hallway, Police Capt. AJ Mathewson and Bradley spoke to both of them and eventually they left the chamber — with Knapp threatening a lawsuit as he left — but were allowed back in once Council resumed its regular meeting. The meeting resumed without further disruption. Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 329-7245 or cwoytach@chroniclet.com.