By Dan Horn
The Cincinnati Enquirer

LaShawn Pettus-Brown was indicted Thursday on charges of using city money for watches, shoes, rap concerts and other personal expenses when he was supposed to be rebuilding the Empire Theater.

The federal grand jury indictment against Pettus-Brown included two counts of theft of government funds, three counts of wire fraud and three counts of money laundering.

If convicted, the 27-year-old Cincinnati man could face more than 50 years in prison.

Pettus-Brown, who was arrested last month after a year as a fugitive, is the central figure in a scandal that has cost Cincinnati taxpayers about $184,000.

The would-be developer received the money after city officials put him in charge of the renovation of the 90-year-old Empire Theater, which Pettus-Brown had promised to transform into a nightclub.

The indictment claims Pettus-Brown invested $45,000 in a Ja Rule rap concert that never happened and also accuses him of using city funds for Nike shoes, dinner at Maisonette, a softball team sponsorship and rental of a tour bus for a family reunion.

Pettus-Brown's attorney, Kenneth Lawson, disputed claims that his client personally profited from the theater project.

Lawson said the bank account Pettus-Brown used included money that came from sources other than the city. And he said city officials bear most of the responsibility for the debacle because they failed to provide the inexperienced Pettus-Brown with the help he needed to do the project.

"You have a young man who was being a bit ambitious and was in over his head," Lawson said. "He ended up in the hole and was robbing Peter to pay Paul.

"He had no intent to defraud the city."

But according to the indictment, Pettus-Brown wired more than $50,000 of city money into unauthorized accounts. At one point, the indictment states, he transferred $95,000 between two bank accounts to conceal unlawful activity.

The city of Cincinnati filed a breach of contract lawsuit Wednesday against Pettus-Brown, seeking reimbursement for the $184,000 the city had given him for the theater project.

City Solicitor J. Rita McNeil said the goal is to recover as much of the city's investment as possible.

"Maybe we'll be able to find something," she said Thursday.

When the theater deal fell apart more than a year ago, an arrest warrant was issued and Pettus-Brown disappeared. The theater was later torn down.

Federal prosecutors said earlier this week that Pettus-Brown's year on the run included cross-country travel and girlfriends on two coasts.

He was arrested last month when a woman he was dating did an Internet search of his name, learned he was a wanted man and called the FBI.

Pettus-Brown is expected in federal court for arraignment next week. He is being held in jail without bond.