Federal authorities took steps Thursday to seize property and money from a Cincinnati woman accused of taking charitable donations intended for the poor.

        Tina M. Swain was accused by the U.S. Attorney's Office of participating in a scheme to defraud contributors to the Ohio Community Emergency Food Center in Cincinnati.

        She is accused of failing to pay taxes on more than $57,000 in income that she collected because of her role.

        Last month, authorities charged the food center's founder, Samuel Ashley Jr., with defrauding contributors of more than $1 million. They say he used the money to feed his gambling habit.

        The allegations against Ms. Swain were made as part of a forfeiture proceeding and are not formal criminal charges. Authorities have asked a federal judge to approve the forfeiture of assets so the government can recover the funds Ms. Swain allegedly took from the food center.

New Miami man is sent to prison

        HAMILTON — A judge on Thursday sentenced a 19-year-old New Miami man, who had previously been accused in an alleged plot to kill the village police chief, to serve five years and five months in prison for a probation violation and burglary.

        Butler County Common Pleas Judge Keith Spaeth imposed the sentence on Samuel Harrison. Mr. Harrison was among five teens who had been charged in April with conspiracy to commit murder involving Duane Pelfrey, who was then the village police chief. Mr. Harrison was accused of burglarizing a home for a gun that was allegedly intended for use in the plot, authorities said.

        Judge Spaeth sentenced Mr. Harrison to four years for violating probation stemming from a previous burglary conviction, plus 17 months for the most recent burglary conviction.

Community-police fest is Saturday

        Dancing, police dog demonstrations and other entertainment will highlight this weekend's community-police outreach festival.

        The free event runs from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday at Hoffner Park in Northside. The event is sponsored by the Cincinnati Human Resources Commission.

        This is one of a handful of outreach festivals that have been held throughout the summer, drawing crowds of 250 to 800 people. They give communities and police a chance to interact and discuss issues and concerns.

        The idea for the festivals stemmed from community study circles that have been held since last year. This is the next-to-last outreach festival this summer. The final one will be Aug. 25 at Laurel Park in the West End.

        For more information, call the Cincinnati Human Relations Commission at 352-3237.

Police seeking would-be robber

        MOUNT HEALTHY — Police are searching for a man who tried to rob the First Financial Bank at 7521 Hamilton Ave. on Wednesday afternoon.

        There were no injuries and the man didn't get any money.

        The man walked into the bank at about 12:30 p.m. carrying a bag and asked for money. When an employee went to another teller station to get cash, the man grabbed back the bag and walked out of the bank, Mount Healthy police clerk Terry Chasteen said.

        The man was last seen walking south on Hamilton Avenue.

        He is white, in his early 20s, about 5-feet-9, and 140 to 150 pounds with a medium build. He was wearing an oversized suit coat, oversized ball cap and a white T-shirt. He has scars on his face and “Donnie” tattooed on his neck.

        Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 352-3040.

Two brothers accused of raping woman

        WEST CHESTER TWP. — Two Forest Park brothers have been arrested and charged with raping an 18-year-old woman early Wednesday during a party at her apartment.

        John Civils, 26, and Aaron Civils, 21, each face one count of rape.

        They were being held at the Butler County Jail pending an appearance before an Area I Court judge in Oxford.

        The attack occurred at about 4:30 a.m. Wednesday during a party at an apartment at the Meadow Ridge Apartments off Muhlhauser Road, West Chester Township Police Sgt. Matt Brillhart said.

        The men are accused of simultaneously raping the woman in a bedroom, he said.

        The woman went to Mercy Hospital Fairfield for a rape exam, Sgt. Brillhart said, declining to elaborate on any evidence collected.

Man is held on fake-check suspicion

        Cincinnati police have arrested an Avondale man they believe is the mastermind of a large fake-check operation that bilked victims out of more than $100,000.

        Ronald Ward, 59, was arrested Tuesday after SWAT team and other officers searched his Vine Street home Tuesday afternoon. Police said they found computers, blank and fraudulent checks, identification and credit cards from victims, as well as a small amount of heroin and some drug paraphernalia.

        Mr. Ward, who has 14 prior convictions for forgery and drugs, was charged with drug possession. He was ordered held in jail under $250,000 cash bond after Detective William O'Brien explained to a judge the significance of the other charges pending.

Postal workers honor firefighters

        FOREST PARK — More than 80 employees from the U.S. Postal Service branch at 670 Northland Blvd. showed their appreciation for city firefighters Wednesday morning, presenting them with a large, framed replica poster of a new stamp that depicts three firefighters raising an American flag above the rubble of the Sept. 11 attacks in New York.

        Fire Chief Trish Brooks said the framed poster is hanging at the fire station, 1201 W. Kemper Road.

        The Fire Department raised hundreds of dollars for relatives of New York City firefighters who died when the World Trade Center collapsed.

Greenhills voters asked for tax boost

        GREENHILLS — Village voters will be asked in November to support a five-year, 3.89-mill levy that would generate $197,000 a year for village services.

        The tax proposal unanimously approved by Village Council members at a Tuesday session

        includes replacement millage of 1.65 mills and an increase of 2.24 mills. The owner of a $100,000 home would pay an additional $74 per year, Municipal Manager David Moore said.

        Mr. Moore said the tax is needed to generate more money for the Greenhills general fund, which will require $1.5 million next year. The village is struggling to finance health insurance and waste collection costs that have jumped more than 30 percent in the last five years, he said.

        — Compiled from staff and wire reports

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