Former area Prosecutor Dies in Prison serving time on Gun Charges

Former Bedford, Highland Hills, and Chagrin Falls Township Prosecutor, Tom Longo, died at the medical facility in the prison where he was serving his sentence on firearm charges.

From the PD --

Thomas G. Longo, a former lawyer, prosecutor and judicial candidate, died Dec. 3 while serving an eight-year prison sentence on firearms charges.

That was not his first scrape with the law. Longo, 64, served three years in prison previously, after admitting his role in a scheme to smuggle a half ton of marijuana into Ohio using a horse trailer.

He was sentenced to prison again in 2007 on the firearm charges, after detectives found a cache of guns in his house in 2004 while investigating a sexual assault case. As a felon, he could not own or possess any guns.

But before he could face the firearms charges, he fled to Mexico. More...

This is the ending to a very sad story. Tommy Longo was a great guy who got caught up in the game. I cannot count the times I was in Bedford Court on all the stupid stuff I did - Longo was always a gentleman and was always fair. I cannot speak highly enough about his work as prosecutor during his time in Bedford Court.

That he would get caught up in this crap can only be described as ignorant on his part. There is no doubt that one day, had he stayed clean, Tommy could have been elected judge somewhere.

During his time running from the law Longo was highlighted on the TV show "America's Most Wanted" and was eventually caught in Puerto Vallarta Mexico after the FBI pieced together shredded emails he sent to his wife.

For more background on the story and the usual garbage that he was Italian and knew alleged Cleveland organized crime figures click here.

Tommy, may God watch over your soul - rest in peace my friend.