BATAVIA — Despite pleas from his lawyer that his age and failing health make a jail term meaningless, Gerald Lach will spend more than three years in prison. The former Clermont County minister was taken into custody Monday morning after Common Pleas Judge William Walker imposed the four-year sentence.

        Mr. Lach, 78, will get credit for the 297 days he already has served in the county jail. Last month, he pleaded guilty to 12 counts of selling unregistered securities and misleading investors. Mr. Lach will serve the sentences on each of the counts concurrently.

        The sentencing ends a three-year saga that saw Mr. Lach sell $2.3 million in securities to almost 800 investors for projects that never happened. He
was indicted two separate times, totaling 59 counts.

        After the guilty plea on 12 of those counts, the only question remaining was whether he would go to prison.

        Judge Walker said he saw no remorse in Mr. Lach and no ability to repay investors. The only possible mitigating factors were Mr. Lach's age and bad health, he said.

        “This is a man who probably doesn't have much life left,” Mr. Lach's lawyer, H. Louis Sirkin, told Judge Walker.

        But prosecutors and the Ohio Department of Securities urged the judge to put Mr. Lach in prison. They pointed out that after a 55-count indictment in August 2000, he was caught selling more securities and indicted anew on four counts in January 2001.

        “We are genuinely concerned we will see Mr. Lach again if he isn't incarcerated in this case,” said Matt Fornshell, head of the enforcement section at the Ohio Division of Securities.

        Projects advocated by Mr. Lach included an outer-belt highway around the Tristate, a high-tech monorail system and a 110-story tower for senior housing.

        More than two-thirds of the $2.3 million Mr. Lach raised had been spent mainly on consultants and architects, with some of the money going to family members, records showed.

        Bill Miller of Clermont County, who invested $6,000 of his own money and about $3,000 more of his family's money with Mr. Lach, said he would have been satisfied if Mr. Lach escaped a prison term.

        “I feel really, really sorry for him,” said Mr. Miller, who recovered most of his original $6,000 investment after a receiver took charge of Mr. Lach's assets. “I don't believe he will (do it again) at his age. It's kind of a hard call to make.”

        A court-appointed receiver still will search for assets that could be returned to investors. But only about $25,000 has been recovered, and there is scant hope more money can be found.

        “We can't bring the money back,” Mr. Sirkin said.

Development authority urged
Text of development motion
Police officer taken off duty
Gaines lectures at UC, on webcast
Investing scheme leads to prison
PULFER: Invading the men's hair club
Wehrung asks record be expunged
West-siders speak out on light rail
County, state duel over $8M
Hail damage reports piling up
Live organ donors outpacing the dead
Public military school planned
Condon School artifacts to be preserved in new academy
Boycott group rejects lawsuit mediation
Good News: Hospital to receive funds
Hamilton County Recreation Notes
Killer appeals execution to Supreme Court
Local Digest
New TV show reaches out with rap music, frank talk
Obituary: Albert Vontz Jr. was philanthropist
'Vampire' jailed; got vial of blood
Deputy accused of advances
Employee dies after fall
Judge drops teen from murder conspiracy
Main Street work to begin
Man indicted in case of molested boy
Warren-Butler Recreation Notes
Wayneville opens Old Lockup for tourists
Assistant superintendent chosen
Butler County Digest
Clermont adding water tanks
Craven murder trial opens
Plans for 2 parks to be presented today
Boater gave his life to save friend
Catholic order gives to UD
Courts facing speech quandry
Kentucky Digest
School pay prompts suit threat
Special session open
State proposes revoking Buckeye Egg's permits